E-Paper
Lok Sabha elections 2019: EC directs DMs to motivate people to vote
The focus should also be on ethical voting, he said. In the first phase 63.69% votes were polled, in the second phase polling was 62.30%, in the third phase polling was 60.52% whereas in the fourth phase polling percentage slipped to 58%.
In view of the polling percentage falling below 60% in the fourth phase, the Election Commission (EC) has directed district magistrates (returning officers) to motivate voters to exercise their franchise rights in the fifth phase polls to be held on Monday (May 6) in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) L Venkateswar Lu on Saturday said rather than organizing voter awareness programmes in localities and streets, the DMs have been told to contact voters and motivate them to vote.
The focus should also be on ethical voting, he said. In the first phase 63.69% votes were polled, in the second phase polling was 62.30%, in the third phase polling was 60.52% whereas in the fourth phase polling percentage slipped to 58%. The constituencies located in central and east UP record low turnout of voters in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, he said.
However, the increase in temperature, migration factor and lackadaisical attitude of voters have added to the concern of the poll body. Lu said due to increase in the temperature, the district magistrates have been directed to make arrangement of drinking water and sheds at all the polling booths. The NCC and NSS cadets, women self-help groups as well as voluntary organisations have been mobilized to motivate voters to exercise their franchise rights, he said.
The DMs have also adopted innovative methods to woo voters to the polling booths to vote.
DM Banda Heera Lal has set a target of the 90% polling and so he launched awareness campaigns and organized motivation programmes in urban and rural areas of the district.
The district administration has also contacted migrant labourers to request them to return home on Monday to vote. Since the announcement of the poll schedule on March 10 the volunteers have contacted majority of voters across the state. Along with organizing plays, skits, competitions in colleges, the volunteers deputed by the EC visited villages to woo the rural voters.
Addressing a public meeting in Banda on April 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the efforts of Heera Lal. The Election Commission should take cognizance of Lal’s determination for 90% polling in the constituency. His strategy to increase the polling percentage should be documented, Modi had said.
DM, Lucknow Kaushal Raj Sharma has also launched awareness campaigns to motivate the voters. On Friday a voters’ carnival was organized by the district administration in the heart of the city -- Hazratganj. Sharma said that to encourage voters to exercise their franchise rights the district administration has ensured that voters slip was delivered to all voters. The details of polling booths are mentioned on the slips, he said.
In another voter awareness initiative, Ayodhya DM Anuj Kumar Jha got leaflets air dropped across the constituency urging voters to exercise their franchise rights.
