NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Election Commission has stepped up its efforts to increase voting percentage especially in Salcete and Mormugao talukas where the polling stations have recorded low voter turnout in the previous assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
To create awareness for maximising enrolment of voters and greater electoral participation in the underperformed polling booths, poll officials have launched Konkani cantaram competition, street plays, rallies, and are trying to connect with college students.
There are total of 1642 polling stations at 1134 polling locations, of which 10 per cent are identified as underperformed polling booths. These booths mainly fall in the constituencies of Velim, Dabolim, Vasco, Curtorim and Benaulim.
Chief electoral official Kunal hoped that the awareness programmes would help increase polling percentage by 5 per cent so as to achieve the overall target of 87 per cent.
The 2012 assembly elections had recorded 81 per cent polling.
The EC initiative – systematic voters’ education and electoral participation – has helped the officials reach out to voters in remote villages for updating electoral rolls as well as creating awareness. The awareness campaign is being carried out in cinema halls, video vans and on social media.
The SVEEP aims at reaching out to each and every voter through research, media,
communication, resource mobilisation,
effective steering of partnership, motivation and facilitation. The SVEEP also aims for conducive law and order and confidence building measures like deployment of paramilitary forces.
The voters are assured that every polling station is equipped with basic minimum facilities like drinking water, shed, toilet, and ramp for the physically challenged voters and a standard voting compartment.
Every voter will be provided with revised photo voter slips, voter guide and voter facilitation posters.
The other facilities in place are online registration, complaint option, web-based search facility and helpline number 1950 operational in the state.
Kunal said the overall SVEEP strategy is to maximise the voter participation with ethical voting.
Special attention has been paid to Salcete taluka where voter turnout has been less.
This time the Election Commission has introduced voter verifiable paper audit trail, which allows voters to ensure that the vote is cast correctly.
As per the eligibility list, 49,921 new voters have been enrolled, out of this, 32,354 are from first-time voters in the 18-19 age group. Figures show that nearly 89 per cent of 11.10 lakh voters are in the age group of 20-69 years.
To make polling more woman voter-friendly, the commission will set up ‘pink polling booths’ in at least one polling station of each constituency, which will be manned by women polling official. Moreover, first preference will be given to female voters.
The polling process will be made more transparent to gain confidence of the people with the election process. Every polling station will have CCTV cameras to record the voters in queues.