Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Dec 10: A major awareness programme for electoral awareness and participation was organised in the district at 147 Panchayat headquarters and 2 urban towns where a record number of 58,680 electors and youth participated.
During day long proceedings voter lists were read out, informative sessions on enrollment procedure and modifications in voter list as well as need for strengthening democracy were organised across the district. This mammoth exercise was carried out under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) plan as per guidelines of Election Commission of India for enhancing electoral turn out in forthcoming Parliamentary and State Assembly elections.
District Election Officer, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary accompanied by SSP M S Chouhan, ADC Rajinder Singh Tara, ACD Joginder Rai and other senior officers inaugurated this campaign at Mini Secretariat premises and addressed the gathering which was followed by display of voter list and interaction with electors present at the function.
Later, they toured various Panchayats in Talwara, Pouni, Laiter, Bhambla and Ransoo. ACR Tilak Raj and SDM Ashwani Khajuria led the teams in Arnas and Mahore.
About 1.30 lakh posters were distributed among the public which included the message from Election Commission, informative material related to enrolment, importance of voting and promoting as a voluntary compulsory duty and fundamental right.
More than 1850 officials drawn from various departments were deployed at 147 Panchayats and 25 Municipal Wards. Apart from this, more than 1200 officials assisted the proceedings and an equal number of security officials were deployed for incident free proceedings.
Two special teams were deputed for awareness of pilgrims visiting the famous shrines of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Shive Khori in the district. More than 6000 pilgrims were covered in addition to the gathering at 149 venues.
District Election Officer informed that administration was hopeful of increasing the poll percentage by 12-15 percent in this mountainous terrain having sparse population.
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