From candle light rally, route marches and street rangolis, Mysuru looks to boost voter turnout

Mysore/Mysuru: The committee looking after activities under Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) for the coming Assembly elections in Mysuru district has set a goal of carrying out voter awareness campaigns in each village for bringing maximum number of voters to the polling booths.

As part of SVEEP activities, rallies, route marches, candle-light awareness programmes, literary and art activities are being held across all the 11 Constituencies in Mysuru District.

Much before the Election Commission announced Assembly poll dates for Karnataka, SVEEP Committee Nodal Officer and Zilla Panchayat CEO K.M. Gayathri listed out various initiatives to increase voter participation. The first step in this regard was the appointment of former International Cricketer Javagal Srinath as the SVEEP Ambassador.

Taking note of the very low turnout in urban and rural areas in the last elections, the SVEEP Committee decided to implement voter awareness programmes to reach out to the young and first-time voters as well as migrant labourers and transgender people and other marginalised sections.

Special attention to educate voters

Volunteers were identified in the booths that saw low voter turnout and special attention was given for educating the voters on the need for exercising their franchise. As the polling date draws closer (May 10), the awareness activities, candle light rally and awareness campaigns have only intensified to attract maximum participation of  voters in the democratic process.

A candlelight awareness programme was held at Hunsur last night where a human chain was also formed. An oath of compulsory voting was also administered to the participants who included many residents of the town and the villagers from the nearby areas. Notably, the voters took the pledge that they will not be influenced by any inducements like cash, gold, religion and freebies and would exercise their franchise in a free and  fair manner.

On Wednesday, a route march and a voter awareness programme were held at Yelwal, where ZP CEO and SVEEP Nodal Officer K.M. Gayathri called upon the voters to exercise their democratic right mandatorily. She asked the people to vote fearlessly and strengthen the foundation of democracy and also to ensure the good future for next generation.

The route march was held under the leadership of Mysuru SP Seema Latkar and paramilitary forces also took part.

The SP called upon the villagers to come out in large numbers and vote to increase the polling percentage to 100.

A major rally was also held at T. Narasipur yesterday where hundreds of public marched along the streets urging the people to vote. Local booth-level volunteers were asked to draw rangolis on every street in villages and encourage the people to vote.

Taluk Panchayat and Gram Panchayat authorities have been asked to set out on a tour of villages in motorcycles, carrying attractive messages in Kannada and English on voting.

Officers said that they are playing recorded messages wherever the volunteers visit to explain the importance of voting, also interact with the residents and hold meetings. The SVEEP teams are also focussing on reaching out to the tribal populations by visiting their hamlets and encouraging them to participate in the democratic process.