SHILLONG: The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), F.R. Kharkongor officially launched the Electoral Literary Clubs (ELCs) deemed as a step towards voters education about election processes and importance of voting at Bharat Scouts and Guides hall on Tuesday.
The aim of ELCs as conceptualized by Election Commission of India (ECI) is to prepare the young and future voters of the country by educating them about electoral process by engaging interesting activities conducted in a neutral and a-political and non-partisan manner.
Speaking on the occasion, Kharkongor said the task of ELCs is to ensure democracy grows and flourishes. He said the young people should have the right reason to vote and a “belief in the ballot and not to doubt the ballot.”
He said that out of an electorate of 18, 42,000, there are over 2 lakhs eligible voters in the state who are yet to be enrolled, he said efforts of the Election Department were on to bridge such gaps through programmes and interventions like ELCs.
He added the districts which are major contributors of the 2 lakhs gap is the East Khasi Hills which has the highest number of people who have not yet enrolled, followed by Ri-Bhoi, South Garo Hills and North Garo Hills.
In Meghalaya, the phase I target is 30 per cent of ELCs in schools, colleges and universities, communities. There are 363 ELCs constituted in the state as on date which include five Universities, 15 colleges, 91 schools, 232 village communities, 20 Voter Awareness Forums (government offices).
A member of political party, David Kharsati from the BJP expressed concern on the low turnout of the Assembly elections although he appreciated the efforts of the state Election Commission when the Ampati byelection recorded a high turnout of 90.55 per cent.
He said, “To transform our state and nation, we need a vision and that has to be inculcated in the minds of the voters.”
