2019 polls: Mumbai students organise workshops, awareness drive to increase voter turnout

In most colleges, voter registration and awareness drives are being organised by National Service Scheme (NSS) cadets

With elections around the corner, students from various city colleges are reaching out to citizens to ensure they have registered their names in the voters’ list. To ensure maximum voter turnout for the elections, students are organising workshops and awareness drives in their areas.

On the occasion of National Voters’ Day in the last week of January, chief election officer (Maharashtra) had organised a special programme with V Citizens’ Action Group (VCAN) and Jai Hind College (HT File)

“Our students are utilising their free time to reach out to eligible voters not just on campus, but also in our neighbourhoods. It is important to make an informed choice while voting and our students are holding workshops to spread awareness,” said Ashok Wadia, principal of Jai Hind College at Churchgate. He added the students are not just helping people fill registration forms, but also showing them how to access election commission’s website.

In most colleges, voter registration and awareness drives are being organised by National Service Scheme (NSS) cadets. They are helping other students fill registration forms and submit them at local tehsildar’s office.

“Basic interactions with students revealed most eligible voters aren’t aware of the registration process. Through on-campus workshops and events, we are trying to reach out to as many students as possible and help them register,” said Fatima Shaikh, a second-year BCom student from RD National College, Bandra.

On the occasion of National Voters’ Day in the last week of January, chief election officer (Maharashtra) had organised a special programme with V Citizens’ Action Group (VCAN) and Jai Hind College. The theme for the event was ‘No voters left behind - Accessible Elections’. Even the district collector and district election officer were part of the initiative.