SVEEP to intensify awareness drive in low voter turnout areas

The District Election Office and Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) will intensify the ongoing voters’ awareness drive in the areas that had witnessed low voter turnout in the district, earlier.

In a press conference at Zilla Panchayat (ZP) auditorium, here, SVEEP nodal officer P Shivashankara, also ZP Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said, “SVEEP committee has been organising several programmes in schools, colleges and villages. We will go door-to-door and issue voter slips to the voters to increase the participation in the electoral process.”

The authorities concerned have identified 10% of the polling stations in each constituency, where low voter turnout has been recorded. To increase the polling percentage in tribal hamlets due to the migration of the people in search of jobs, this time, the authorities have planned to provide jobs to tribal people under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The district has a total of 212 tribal hamlets.

“The authorities will organise street plays and rallies at several places. The illuminated signboard with the message ‘Nimma Matha, Nimma Hakku’ (Your Vote, Your Right), is being displayed at Chamundi Hill. The illumination is between 7 pm and 10 pm,” the CEO said.

In the 2013 Assembly elections, Chamaraja and Krishnaraja segments under the city witnessed only 55.11% and 54.44% voting, respectively. The district recorded 73% turnout and 71% women participated in the elections.

The officials have already conducted a demonstration of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), he informed.

SVEEP district icon

TV reality show ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ fame Niveditha Gowda, also SVEEP committee district icon, called upon the voters to participate in the elections without fail. Niveditha, also first-time voter, explained the importance of voting and said, “Every responsible citizen should vote to elect the people representatives for a better society. In a democratic form of government, it is the responsibility of every individual to cast their vote.”