National voter’s day: Aim is to encourage voters to participate enthusiastically
Vinod C. Dixit
National Voters Day is celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011. The national voter’s day is undoubtedly a step forward in encouraging the right practices in the electoral system.
National Voters day marks the foundation of Election commission of India which was laid on 25th of January, 1950. Every year, the government proposes a new theme to draw more youngsters to come forward and enroll themselves in the electoral rolls of the country. The aim is to encourage our voters to participate enthusiastically in the democratic process. And that is why the relevance of this day is even more pronounced on the eve of Republic Day.
Young voters who have just turned 18 and got the right to vote for the first time. “Our Constitution empowers an independent Election Commission. And our election process makes every vote important, with the right to equality and freedom. A government is selected by voting in an election, which is every citizen’s right to choose among several candidates for ruling their constituency.
Voting generally takes place in polling booths. The constitution of India places utmost importance on maintaining the dignity of the voter. He has all the rights to cast votes according to his likes and dislikes. Keith Ellison has correctly said that not voting is not a protest, it is a total surrender. True. When you do not vote, your opinion is not counted. Being a responsible citizen above 18 years of age, one should vote for each and every election. In that way, your opinion will be counted.
As such Indian democracy is known through the world for its maturity and stability.” NVD is celebrated all over the country right from the national level to the far remote corners of our country down to each Polling Station location where new voters were felicitated with a badge carrying the logo ‘Proud to be a Voter- Ready to Vote’, administered the Pledge and handed over their Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs). The Election Commission of India deserves Kudos for adopting a Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation strategy in 2009 to increase people’s participation in the electoral process which has now got reflected in a range of policy initiatives, programmes and activities. Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process.
India is the largest democracy in the world. Every citizen of this country is provided with basic rights to vote. He can exercise his franchise to select the leader he thinks is capable of leading the nation and bringing about a change.
Voting is very important as it lets you decide and give your opinion about the choice of your leader. As a result it brings up your voting rights which every citizen above the age of 18 has got in every country. It is also said that wrong political parties are not won by the number of votes they received, but they win by the number of people who did not vote the correct or the good political parties.
The day is very significant in the roots of India because the future of our country lies in the leaders we select today. A vote is a choice made by a particular group or a person in a meeting or an election. It is a means to express one’s views in response to a poll. One must remember that when we vote, we give our opinion which is very important. Everyone has the right to vote because voting rights are constitutional rights.
On this occasion let us encourage each and every voter in the country to exercise their right to vote. He lauded in their efforts to inspire the younger generation to come forward and vote and hoped even in the future; elections would be organized elections in a disciplined conduct.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
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