The Election Commission of India has launched an initiative to identify the missing and non-voters to bring them into the mainstream of voting. The Commission has also developed a YUVA strategy or Youth Unite for Voter Awareness to encourage increased participation of young women and men in the electoral process.
Addressing a seminar for consultations with civil society organizations on inclusive voting and electoral participation in New Delhi today, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath sought their cooperation in promoting electoral democracy. Mr Sampath said, for democracy to be participatory, elections need to be inclusive by involving everyone including those with special needs. He said the Commission is making concerted efforts to include homeless people, nomads, transgenders, NRIs among others in the electoral process. He said the Commission is aiming at building wider support and chorus of views in favour of participatory democracy and promote and sustain it through election literacy and enlightened voter participation.
Mr Sampath expressed concern over the fact that nearly 281 million voters in the country did not exercise their voting rights during the last Lok Sabha elections in 2009. He said in this context the challenge before the Commission is to make people speak through the ballot box. He said voters need to be educated on the process of registering and voting and developing a sense of civic duty to participate in the electoral process and learning to respect the outcome of legitimate elections.
The Chief Election Commissioner said the dates for the upcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh would be announced keeping in view relevant factors like winter season and festivals. He said electoral lists of the two states have been put on the Commission’s website. He hoped the balloting in these states would be much higher as compared to the previous assembly elections there.