One lakh youth yet to register as voters in Anantapur: Collector Gandham Chandrudu

Anantapur: District Collector Gandham Chandrudu inaugurated 11th National Voters' Day celebrations at the Government Arts College here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, the collector said the Election Commission of India was the highest constitutional body which holds elections at the national level. In the past, the district collector said governments changed only by way of blood shed but over the years the system graduated from blood shed to peaceful conduct of polls in which people decide their rulers. Chandrudu regretted that the holiday given for citizens to exercise their franchise was being misused for personal entertainment.

He said the district has 1.30 lakh youth, who attained age of 18 years but only 25,000 registered themselves as voters. He said not only should one take interest in registering themselves as voters but should motivate five others to do so.

JNTU VC Ranga Janardhana said he was happy to participate in the voters' day celebrations in his native district. Explaining the system he adopts to choose the candidate he has to vote, Ranga stated that he keeps the list of contestants before him to choose the candidate who deserved his vote and would give marks to every candidate himself on the basis of their performance and character and the candidate who gets the highest marks awarded by him would be zeroed in for casting his vote.

He added that he still follows the same procedure even today to choose the candidate who deserved the vote to get elected. He advised the students and youth to rise above caste and religious considerations for exercising their franchise. He lauded the collector for doing a good job during the covid crisis and the district is fortunate to have him as collector in all other spheres too.

Joint Collector Nishanth Kumar said the Election Commission of India was formed one day before the Republic day.

Earlier, a massive rally was held with the participation of people and youth for creating awareness on the importance of Voters' Day.