3rd National Voters’ Day Celebrated Across the Country
2.32 Crore New Electors Registered and Handed over Voter ID Cards
National Awards Presented for best Electoral Practices
The Election Commission of India celebrated the 3rd National Voters’ Day across the country today. The theme for the 3rd NVD is ‘Inclusion’.
NVD functions were held at more than 6.5 lakh locations across the country covering nearly all 8.5 lakh Polling Stations. Around 46,000 Educational Institutions also celebrated National Voters’ Day. Around 4,867 Youth Voter Festivals have been held across the states to engage youth in the registration process.
The National Function to mark the 3rd National Voters’ Day was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Hon’bleVice President, Shri M Hamid Ansari who was the Chief Guest, gave away the National Awards for the Best Electoral Practices. The Award comprises three awards for District Election officers and Superintendent of Police of district and one Special Award for Officers outside the district machinery. Best State Awards for 2012 was also given away to Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Media Awards for the Best Campaign on Voter Education and Awareness was also given away.
The Chief Guest also gave EPIC (Voter ID card) to 10 new voters of Delhi (those who attained the age of 18 years – with 1st January every year as the qualifying date) and a badge with the slogan “Proud to be a Voter – Ready to Vote”. The Vice President also administered the NVD pledge to all present in the function.
In his Keynote address, Shri Hamid Ansari commended the commission for its systematic and sustained programme for voters’ participation which has given visible results. He further added that a lot more needs to be done to make people’s participation complete. He appreciated the Commission’s initiative in sharing its skills and expertise with other democratic countries through IIIDEM.
Chief Election Commissioner, Shri V S Sampath congratulated the election machinery for the new enrolment of about 2.32 crore citizens in the recently concluded roll revision which included around 93 lakh newly eligible electors in the 18-19 yr age group. With this, he said, the country’s electorate now stands at 77.78 crore. He also pointed to the record turnout of voters particularly of women, in the recent general elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh through concerted efforts of all, including Central and State Govt departments, educational institutions, civil society, corporate sector and the media. Shri Sampath welcomed Olympics medallists Ms Saina Nehwal and Ms Mary Kom as the Commission’s new national icons on voter participation.
Speaking at the function, Dr Ashwini Kumar, Minister of Law and Justice pointed out that voter participation is the key in electoral democracy and lauded the Election Commission for paying serious attention to this. He underlined ECI’s role in reinforcing Indian democracy also for setting an example in the whole world. He assured the Commission all support necessary for management of elections particularly in the area of electoral reforms.
Earlier, welcoming the guests, Election Commissioner Shri H S Brahma said that the NVD is now the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India not only in terms of the large-scale empowerment of citizens through enrolment but also for the country-wide undertaken for spreading voter education and awareness.
Introducing the National Awards, Election Commissioner Dr Nasim Zaidi, said that the objective of the awards was to encourage innovation, efficiency and contribution in the exclusive field of election management.
25th January is also the foundation day of the Commission, which came into being on this day in 1950. The Commission’s objective through NVD is to increase enrolment of voters, especially of the newly eligible ones, to make universal adult suffrage a complete reality. The National Voters’ Day is also utilized to spread awareness among voters regarding effective participation in the electoral process.
NATIONAL AWARDS 2012
A. NATIONAL AWARDS FOR BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES
First Award jointly to Ms Kamini Chauhan Ratan, DEO Bulandshahr, UP and Shri Surendra Singh, DEO Firozabad, UP
Second Award jointly to Ms Avantika Aulakh, DEO Bharuch, Gujarat & Shri Pravin Bakshi, DEO West Garo Hills, Meghalaya
Third Award jointly to Ms Jayshri Kiyawat, DEO Jhabua, MP & Shri Ram Krishna Bhardwaj, SPBarabanki, UP
Special Award to Shri Ajit K Shrivastava, Addl Commissioner of Income Tax, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Best State Award to Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal; Chief Electoral officers to receive the Award
B. NATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS
National Media Award for the Campaign on Voters’ Education and Awareness to Zee News
Special Media Award for the Campaign on Voters’ Education and Awareness to Amar Ujala
Election Commission of India
25th January,2013 New Delhi
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