SHILLONG: Even before the parties and candidates gear up for the polls, the state election machinery has become active to attract the voters to the polling booths, check the use of money power and ensure model code.
Rural road shows to create awareness on the use of EVMs and VVPATs are in full swing along with the efforts of the Election Department to empower voters to bring to the notice of the election officials any kind of aberrations.
The election officials have already removed various hoardings and posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma based on the complaints of the citizens or by suo motu action.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said while on the one hand the Election Department is actively seeking to tackle urban apathy through election embedded messages via flash mobs, street theatre and apps like Queue management and cVigil, in rural areas, entertaining and educative road shows have been rolled out to engage the rural voters.
As part of voter awareness under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), road shows have covered nearly all the major traditional markets using drum beating, phawar election jingles accompanied by Khasi drum beating and flash dancing to raise awareness on voting and registration with a special focus on EVM-VVPAT machines.
Kharkongor said the intention to make the electoral process free, fair, credible and verifiable.
More than 2,500 polling stations out of 3,167 have been covered and hundreds of rural voters undertook mock drills on EVM-VVPAT machines.
The Democracy Van has been travelling extensively accompanied by a team of EVM-VVPAT master trainers, musicians, Red FM RJs and EVM-VVPAT machines to raise awareness and provide hands-on exposure to rural voters on various aspects of the EVM and VVPAT.
cVigil & flying squads
cVigil App or citizens’ vigil, which can be downloaded, is a tool launched by the Election Commission of India for the citizens to keep the election functionaries updated on any violations of the model code.
The chief electoral officer said it was through the cVigil App that the poster with the chief minister’s image was removed from NEHU.
The flying squads on receipt of the report with uploaded image on cVigil removed the poster which violated the model code of conduct.
He said the flying quads and static surveillance teams are keeping vigil to ensure a free and fair poll.
1950 toll-free number
The Election Department wants voters to call the toll-free 1950 number to verify their names on the electoral roll.
Kharkongor said voters will get prompt response from the number and this will also save time.
The voters will have to ensure that their names are in the electoral rolls before casting votes as sometimes names may not be found under a particular polling station when the voters change the place of stay.
