School students to help increase voter turnout

Sivasagar: The district election officer in Assam's Sivasagar has launched a campaign to ensure increased turnout at polling booths by involving high school students as "electoral ambassadors" in three assembly segments.

Under the initiative - "1 to 11" - a part of SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation), each student will be encouraged to ensure that at least ten adults in their area exercise their franchise, a press release said. As part of this campaign launched on Monday, the DEO and deputy commissioner S Lakshmanan distributed publicity material to the principals of 18 high schools and higher secondary schools in Amguri, Thowra and Sivasagar assembly segments.

The students of class 9 to 12 from these 18 schools will function as 'Ambassadors of Democracy' and bring at least 10 voters from their neighbourhood and village to the booths on the polling day, the release said.

Releasing a short video on the initiative, the DEO expressed hope that it will not only create awareness among the electorate to exercise their franchise, but also make the students well-informed about the importance of vote. Polling for the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam will be held in three phases - on April 11, 18 and 23.