GUWAHATI: With Lok Sabha election approaching fast, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Assam in collaboration with the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) and Assam State Urban Livelihood Mission (ASULM) has initiated a number of innovative steps to sensitize the female voters about Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation.
One of the initiatives is Aideur Chora which aims at mobilising the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) at their disposal to make the female voters aware about the essentiality to participate in the election.
Another such initiative is Sarothi (Women help desk) which will be opened at various government outlets e.g. gaon panchayat offices, co-operative societies samabai samitis etc. This help desk will facilitate women voters to verify their names and detect on electoral roll and make corrections whenever needed; to register their names, if these do not appear on roll; to delete multiple entries on electoral roll and apply for deletion of names of dead persons and for those who shifted places.
These help desks will be mainly operated by members from SHGs. They will also help female voters to get acquainted with the helpline number ‘1950’ and NVSP portal i.e. www.nvsp.in. Emphasize will be given to make female voters aware about EPIC.
Electoral Literacy materials consisting of forms, guidelines, rules and regulations with graphical illustrations will be distributed among female voters.
Chandra Probha is a woman mascot to be used in elections for spreading the message of electoral participation. The mascot will communicate with the populace in local language, delivering the important message in an easy and relatable manner.
The polling stations with low female voter turnout will be identified. To encourage their participation, ‘Mahila Voter Rally’ will be executed in those specific pockets. The rally will include ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, members of SHGs. During rally, they will proceed with shouting innovative slogans and carrying informative banners.
The active participants amongst the members in the SHGs will be appointed as Village Ambassadors who will spread out the message of voter education and electoral participation among masses.