ECI to speed up its campaign in State to increase voter turn out

--16.5 lakh voter ID cards in State deleted from electoral roll

BHUBANESWAR: Election Commission of India (ECI) would speed up its campaigns in the State in order to increase voter turnout in the upcoming General Election 2014. It was informed by the ECI Director General Akshay Rout at a Press meet here on Tuesday.

A day before the two-day consultation on voters’ participation organised by the ECI and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Rout said they have initiated an effective programme the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) to enhance voter participation and awareness in the country and it will be used in Odisha also.

He said the purpose of this campaign was to inform, motivate and facilitate every eligible voter. The campaign would also focus on registration of eligible voters and to increase voters’ awareness and education for participation in electoral process.

“We have created history in voter turnout percentage by initiating SVEEP programme in five States where the election ended recently,” said Rout, adding, “Due to the programme, women participation in casting vote has been increased than last election.”

He said that percentage of women participation in Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram was historic. Except Madhya Pradesh, the percentage women voter turnout was the highest than males in other four States, he added.

“As the women (64.90 per cent) participation in casting vote is low than men (65.67 per cent), we hope the programme will help in increasing women voter turnout in Odisha,” said Rout.

Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha Mona Sharma said that they have taken several steps to stop issuing more than one voter ID to a person. Even they have started deleting names of deceased persons from voters’ list. “We have deleted 16.5 lakh voter IDs in the State during the special drive between April and July this year,” she added.