District Electoral Officer calls for pulling maximum voters to booths

Hyderabad: The District Electoral Officer, Dana Kishore who is also the GHMC Commissioner, wants to improve the polling percentage in the city. Urban voters though politically aware do not franchise their vote on the day of polling and the DEO wants to change this in the forthcoming elections. As per the 2011 census, the literacy rate is around 80.86%. In 2014 elections, in the 15 Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad district, only 53% of polling took place. In Malakpet, Nampally constituencies 50% voting, Secunderabad around 56.95%, educated and highly sourced people who are residing at Jubilee Hills only 50.53% of voting and Khairatabad 53.41%.

Keeping in view of the above, the DEO is planning various awareness campaigns, SVEEP activities and for physically challenged persons all the basic minimum facilities are being provided as per the guidelines from the ECI. The GHMC is also planning photo competitions for those who reached 18 years and youth who can send photograph about voting and can get rewards of first prize Rs. 15,000, 2nd prize, 10,000 and 3rd prize 5000. For participation the youth can contact on number 7993153333.
The DEO said that special care is being taken for physically challenged persons providing transport facilities on the polling day and various awareness campaigns are also being taken up. Even OP Rawath, Chief Election Commissioner, inaugurated a programme conducted for physically challenged persons.

As per the guidelines of the ECI E-Suvidha, C-Vigilance app is being provided where the political parties can avail the opportunity of E-Suvidha for filing their representations to grant permissions about meetings, Padayatras and various other issues. Whereas the C-vigil app is meant for all the citizens to post videos and messages of malpractices and any irregularities in the election process. In 101 centres, EVMs and VVPATs have been arranged in various locations in the Hyd., district jurisdiction where most of the people have participated and got the information about the working conditions of EVMS and VVPATs with which they can vote without any problems.

Even the RWAs, NGOs and various other organizations have also been involved for the purpose of increase the voting percentage. The DEO is conducting special meeting with the polling agents and BLOs from November 2 – 5 to have a better interaction between the polling agent and as well as the BLO to perform their duties and also to increase the polling percentage etc.