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EC to sign pact with education ministry to spread voter awareness in schools
The CEC said a round of electoral revision will begin across the country on Friday other than in the five states going to polls from November 7
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will ink a memorandum of understanding with the education ministry to spread awareness about voting rights in schools, chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said on Thursday.
“We are signing a memorandum of understanding with the education ministry for students from class IX and above,” CEC said. “Catching them young. They have turned 18 and have become a voter, but they are not very much aware of voting, ethos, magnitude. How to vote, whom to vote and what all considerations are to kept in mind -- that background is not ready,” he said. The CEC was speaking at an event in Delhi to announce actor Rajkummar Rao a national icon to spread awareness about voting rights.
He added that using the MoU, the EC intends make understanding of voting rights a part of the school curriculum. “In the five states, there are 60 lakh first time voters,” he said.
The CEC also added that a round of electoral revision will begin across the country Friday. “The Commission revises the electoral roll every year,” Kumar said, adding: “Starting tomorrow, the electoral roll revision will begin in all states other than the five states going to polls.”
While urging the youth to actively participate in elections Kumar said: “Once you associate with the electioneering process, you will understand the intrinsic power of democracy and value of your vote”.
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He appealed to influencers from all walks of life including the media to promote the importance of voting and in pushing up the voter turnout in forthcoming elections.
Election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey said that it has always been the endeavour of the ECI to experiment with new initiatives to enhance voter turnout at elections. “Rajkummar Rao is an apt choice for a national icon who has acted in a movie based on conducting elections in tough and challenging conditions,” he said.
Election commissioner Arun Goel while highlighting the issue of urban and youth apathy towards elections said that collaboration with the education ministry would be “fruitful in bringing about behavioural and attitudinal change and nudging urban youth to actively participate in the elections”.
