Shillong(Meghalaya), Oct 12 : As part of the forthcoming Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Photo Electoral Rolls and in connection with preparatory activities for the forthcoming Assembly Elections, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer in collaboration with the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, organized a ‘Mission UNITE 2.0 (U & I Towards Enrolment) #Roll2Poll Urban Apathy Electoral Outreach Programme’ at Mawlai Umjaiur, 15-Mawlai (ST) Constituency’, Shillong, to engage with the community leadership and organizations in creating electoral awareness and push enrolment drive among the citizens who have reached the voter’s age especially in pockets where the enrolment gap is huge as a result of urban apathy.
Besides the SSR, the programme focused on the amendments in election laws and rules, modifications in registration forms and authentication of electoral rolls data though Aadhaar or other documents.
K G Nongrum, System Analyst, O/o CEO Meghalaya, in his presentation, highlighted the electoral figures pertaining to 15-Mawlai (ST) Assembly Constituency where out of a total electorate of 48970, 1985 voters are within the age group of 18-19 years and with a population projection 2023 of 3587 voters (18-19 years), there is an electorate gap of 1602 voters who are within the age of 18-19 years. 48-Mawlai Umjaiur B Polling Station has an electorate of 769 with a population projection of 917, but the huge Polling Station gap of 148 is a cause for concern especially to the election authorities who are responsible for educating the citizens on the electoral process and the importance of their rights to franchise under the democratic process.
The Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, Ms. Isawanda Laloo, in her speech, said that the main objective of this mission mode initiative is to achieve 100 percent enrolment and voters’ turnout especially in urban constituencies that have low percentage of voters’ turnout. She also stressed on the importance of the electoral process and the participation of every eligible citizen in strengthening the democracy in the country. With the prevailing urban voters’ apathy in some areas becoming an issue of concern, this series of community outreach campaigns is set to address challenges, and chalk out ways and means and strategies to enroll the eligible citizens in low enrolment pockets, she said. Therefore, she called upon the collective participation of community leaders, family members and peers and all stakeholders to share the responsibilities in encouraging the young people to engage in the electoral process.
Present in the event were the Rangbah Shnong, the Secretary Shnong Mawlai Umjaiur and members of the executive committee, with officials from the CEO’s office and DC’s office of East Khasi Hills.
The event also had a very constructive interactive session, where questions were raised on enrolment and information in case of deletion due to deaths and Aadhaar linkages.
