The National Voters Day was celebrated across Pir Panchal and Chenab Valley on Friday, on the theme ‘No Voter To Be Left Behind’.
Pertinently, January 25 is also the day when the country’s election commission was founded in 1950. The National Voters Day is celebrated to encourage people to participate in the country’s election process and increase voter enrolment. The Day is organised to spread awareness among voters and promote informed participation during the elections.
In Rajouri, deputy commissioner flagged off an awareness rally which passed from district headquarters and culminated at Rajouri college, where the main programme was held.
Besides, at sub-division headquarters and tehsil headquarters, including Nowshera, Sunderbani, Kalakote, Kotranka, Thannamandi, Darhal and Manjakote, awareness programmes were held, wherein voters ID cards were distributed among the new voters.
Additional deputy commissioners, sub divisional magistrates and tehsildars chaired the programmes at their respective stations.
Meanwhile, in Poonch district, the main programme was held at district headquarter, wherein senior officers of the district administration took part.
At other sub-divisional and tehsil headquarters, including Mendhar and Surankote, programmes were also held.
Tehsil legal services authority, led by sub-judge Surankote, Ahsan Malik, and additional special munsiff, Sarfraz Qureshi, also chaired an awareness programme at Government Degree College, Surankote. Besides imparting awareness, a quiz competition was also organised, in which students of college and para-legal volunteers took part.
On the occasion, a rally was organised by ADC Bhaderwah, Dr Ravi Kumar Bharti, in which tehsil and block level officers, anganwadi workers and NCC cadets of Government Higher Secondary School Boys Bhaderwah participated. The students were carrying placards with slogans like ‘Proud to be a Voter’ and also raised slogans in favour of election commission and democracy.
The rally was followed by an interactive programme, which was organised by Bhaderwah Development Authority, in collaboration with Rashtriya Rifles based at Bhaderwah and All India Radio Bhaderwah at Community Hall Kotli.
“This year, the theme of the National Voters Day is ‘No voter to be left behind’. The day is celebrated at over six lakh locations, covering approximately ten lakh polling stations across the country. During the National Voters Day, first time voters are invited and asked to collect their electoral photo identity cards (EPIC),” said CEO BDA, Rajinder Kumar Khajuria.
ADC Bhaderwah, Dr Ravi Kumar Bharti, while speaking on the occasion, threw light on the importance of National Voters Day and impressed upon the voters to ensure greater participation in the elections for strengthening democracy in the country.
During his address, ASP Bhaderwah, Rajinder Singh, said that this day is celebrated to aware youth about their right to vote. “This initiative will give the youth a sense of empowerment, pride and inspire them to exercise their franchise,” he added.
National Voters Day celebrations were also reported from Doda, Kishtwar, Drabshalla, Gandoh, Batote, Ramban, Banihal, Gool and other areas of Chenab Valley.