GUWAHATI: The Assam election department has launched an extensive awareness campaign in a bid to enhance the polling percentage in the Assembly elections by over 85 per cent.
As part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for voter education and awareness, the state election department has engaged prominent personalities to woo people to the polling booths.
The ‘Icons’ launched under SVEEP in the state include cricketer Riyan Parag, who also represents Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, actor Kopil Bora, para-cyclist Rakesh Banik and singer Anindita Paul.
The department also launched poll mascots, ‘Bohag’ and ‘Bohagi’, and released a theme song on Friday.
Addressing media persons here, Assam chief electoral officer Nitin Khade said the voting percentage in the 2016 Assembly elections was 85 percent and the same in the 2019 parliamentary elections was around 80 percent.
“This time, we are targeting a percentage beyond 85 and our slogan will be Ab ki baar, 85 percent ke paar, for which we have launched this extensive campaign,” the CEO said.
Besides, awareness campaigns would also be carried in constituencies where the voting percentage was less in the previous election.
“We will take the help of multi-media channels, social media, print media, et al to take the campaign forward. Besides, there will be live performance, street plays and mob flash dance to generate awareness among young voters. The campaigns are being worked out at the district level and polling officers are currently on the job,” the Assam CEO said.
The state will witness a three-phase election to 126 Legislative Assembly constituencies from March 27.
Khade also said that the polls would be a huge exercise involving between 2.5lakh and 3.5lakh government employees besides voters and political parties.
“But this year, the polls will be unique and more challenging as they are being conducted in the post-COVID scenario with the Election Commission of India (ECI) putting in place a set of guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs). In polling stations having more than 1000 voters, additional booths will be set up, also involving more policemen and vehicles,” he said.
“Besides, according to the ECI guidelines, a minimum distance of six feet between each voter at a given polling station has to be maintained. Besides, there will be a waiting area for the voters who will be given plastic gloves (before they cast their votes) to avoid contamination (from the EVM),” he added.
The CEO further said that “the department wants to convey a clear message to our voters for ethical, safe, free and fair elections.”