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On National Voters' Day, PM praises Election Commission's 'remarkable contribution'
The theme for this year’s National Voters' Day, ‘Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed’, envisages active and participative voters during elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, which is being observed as National Voters' Day, praised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for strengthening the Indian democracy by ensuring smooth conduct of elections. "National Voters Day is an occasion to appreciate the remarkable contribution of the EC to strengthen our democratic fabric and ensure smooth conduct of elections. This is also a day to spread awareness on the need of ensuring voter registration, particularly among the youth," tweeted PM Modi on Monday.
The theme for this year’s National Voters' Day, ‘Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed’, envisages active and participative voters during elections. It also focuses on ECI’s commitment towards conducting elections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. National Voters Day is observed to encourage, facilitate and maximise enrolment, especially for the new voters.
Also read Explained: When is National Voters Day? What’s the theme this year?
"Dedicated to the voters of the country, the day is utilised to spread awareness among voters and for promoting informed participation in the electoral process. New voters are felicitated and handed over their Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) in the NVD functions," the government said in a release on Sunday.
The Election Commission is celebrating the 11th National Voters Day on Tuesday and President Ram Nath Kovind will be the chief guest at an event being organised in New Delhi by the poll watchdog. Union Minister for law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad will be the guest of honour. Prasad will launch the electronic version of the voter identity card, which can be downloaded on a mobile phone or a computer. The e-elector photo identity card is a non-editable digital version of the elector photo identity card and it can be saved in facilities such as a digital locker and can be printed in PDF format, officials said according to PTI.
The government release said that the physical card takes time to print and reach the voter and the idea is to provide faster delivery and easy accessibility to the document. "Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will launch the e-EPIC programme and distribute e-EPICs and Elector Photo Identity Cards to five new voters," it said on Sunday.
The National Voters’ Day has been observed on January 25 every year since 2011 to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India on January 25, 1950.
