Assam CEO launches drive to increase polling percentage to over 85 per cent

Guwahati, March 5:  Assam State Election Department has launched an all-encompassing awareness drive to woo voters so as to enhance the polling percentage in the forthcoming Assembly elections to over 85 per cent.

The Department today launched ‘Icons’ under SVEEP in the state who include cricketer Riyan Parag, who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, actor Kopil Bora, para-cyclist Rakesh Banik and popular singer Anindita Paul.

The department also launched poll mascots, ‘Bohag’ and ‘Bohagi’, and released a theme song today.
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 voters at polling booth level.
Addressing media persons here, Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nitin Khade said the voting percentage in the 2016 Assembly elections was 85 per cent and the same in the 2019 parliamentary elections was around 80 per cent.

“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.

 “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 on March 27, April 2 and April 6.
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, holding 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.