In an attempt to encourage youngsters to cast votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, student groups and organisations in the city have begun to conduct awareness campaigns across college campuses in the city.
The voting for the four constituencies in Pune district will take place in two phases, April 23 and 29.
With the election commission’s tag line ‘No voter to be left behind’, enrolment campaigns, awareness drives, street plays are being held by student groups in an attempt to enrol and encourage students to vote.
“The average percentage of voting individuals in the country was 66.38 per cent. There is a need to conduct awareness drives as one of the reasons students refrain from coming out and voting, is so that they can enjoy the voting holiday,” said Kuldeep Ambekar, a law student from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and president of student’s Helping Hand organisation.
Pratik Jhagade, a student of Fergusson college, who is also a member of the college drama group said,“Telling people to vote is not enough, if the message is conveyed through a street play it tends to resonate with the audience better. We have prepared a 10-minute street play, that covers various aspects that are relevant during the election season. We will now showcase the same, at various college campuses in the city.”
Sagar Alkunte of Garware college, who is the president of a students group called ‘Lead Foundation’ said, “We undertake various student beneficial activities regularly, and with the election dates due in a month, we want to conduct voters registration drive in the college campus. As exams are currently underway, we plan to kick-start the campaign by first week of April.”
{{/usCountry}}Sagar Alkunte of Garware college, who is the president of a students group called ‘Lead Foundation’ said, “We undertake various student beneficial activities regularly, and with the election dates due in a month, we want to conduct voters registration drive in the college campus. As exams are currently underway, we plan to kick-start the campaign by first week of April.”
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