Haryana Steps Up Voter Engagement Ahead of Assembly Elections

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal announced new measures to boost voter turnout in the upcoming Assembly elections. Activities such as slogan writing, painting, and rallies aim to raise awareness and participation, building on previous high voter engagement. Voting will occur on October 5, with results on October 8.

In a bid to boost voter turnout, Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal has revealed a series of new initiatives aimed at increasing participation in the 15th Haryana Legislative Assembly General Election scheduled for October 5. The Election Commission of India, in collaboration with the Chief Electoral Officer's office, is promoting a variety of SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) activities including slogan writing, painting, street plays, and poster making to encourage voters to exercise their right.

Addressing media, Agarwal emphasized that Haryana's voters are politically aware, consistently showing high turnout in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. In the last Assembly elections, the voter turnout was 68.31 percent. Agarwal called on citizens to participate in the 'Festival of Democracy - Pride of the State' during the upcoming elections, highlighting every vote's importance in strengthening democracy.

Senior officials from the Election Commission of India recently conducted a review visit to Haryana to oversee the election preparations. The delegation urged local authorities to maximize voter turnout. Agarwal noted that political discussions are active in 'Chaupals' and 'Khat-Mudhas', reinforcing the potential for a higher voting percentage.

Officials including Deputy Commissioners, District Election Officers, and Superintendents of Police assured the Election Commission that efforts would focus on increasing the voting percentage by 5 percent compared to the last Assembly elections. "Every vote cast is not just a mark on a finger but a new ray of hope for a strong democracy," Agarwal said.

Agarwal also mentioned that districts across Haryana are engaged in numerous activities to raise voter awareness. Educational institutions and various departments are participating in mehndi and painting competitions, and organizing village rallies. These initiatives aim to transform the SVEEP activities into a broad campaign for increased voter turnout.

The administration is leveraging social media platforms to spread voter awareness and promote participation. The importance of each vote is communicated through various campaigns, urging voters to partake enthusiastically in the electoral process on October 5. The voting for Haryana's 90-member legislative assembly will occur on October 5, with results declared on October 8.

(With inputs from agencies.)