JAMMU, MARCH 01: As a part of Election Commission’s nationwide awareness campaign “Systematic Voters Education & Electoral Participation” (SVEEP), the State Election Department organized two special awareness programmes at Civil Secretariat and Police Auditorium here today.
Advisor to Governor K. Skandan, Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh participated in the programe at Police Auditorium as special guests.
A large number of Secretariat employees, including administrative secretaries, senior and middle rung officers of police force and jawans participated and got themselves familiarized with the use of EVMs and other latest technologies related to the electoral process.
The experts gave live demo of EVMs/VVPATs explaining their features and functioning to the participants and also cleared certain doubts about the use of the machines, electoral process during these special awareness camps. The employees took keen interest in the programme and got acquainted with the functioning and features of the machines, especially of VVPAT, which is a new component introduced and added in the electoral process by the Election Commission of India. The new component shall be used in the forthcoming elections across the country at every polling station with the EVMs to ensure further transparency in the electoral process. With the help of VVPAT, the voter shall be able to check and verify the authenticity of the vote poled by him/her to the intended candidate as the machine will indicate the same and maintain the record for the reference for the election staff for official use.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Shailendra Kumar said that the objective of organizing such programmes is to encourage and facilitate maximum participation of voters in the electoral process and to educate the people about the new initiatives taken by the Election Commission to ensure further transparency in the system. He said the office of the CEO undertakes a State-wide awareness campaign throughout the year to educate the masses about the enrollments, updation of electoral rolls in order to enroll all new eligible voters, delete dead voters, correction in the particulars of the voters after a systematic process at the booth level. Due publicity is being done for these activities through the medium of news papers, radio, TV channels, hoardings so that people can avail hassle free facilities at their doorstep.
He said the process of enrollment is an on-going are through on-line portals www.nvsp.in., VVIP or by using Commission’s Toll-free dedicated helpline 1950 or by contacting the concerned BLO who has a permanent assignment to do this job. It has no cut-off date and can be done any time. He said such awareness programmes are running in every district and at tehsil/block level under the supervision of concerned District Election Officers (Deputy Commissioners) to educate the masses about electoral process and facilitating them to enroll as voters or modifications in the existing records like name, address, change of polling station, issuance of EPICs etc.
The CEO further informed that the Election Department will facilitate the government employees posted outside their home towns or engaged in election duty with the facility of service voters through Electronically Transfer Voting System (ETVS) in the forthcoming elections to ensure that all voters are able to cast their votes. He called upon the employees to exercise the right of their franchise and encouraging others to ensure maximum participation in the election and contribute for strengthening the democracy.
Commissioner/Secretary Revenue, Shahid Anayatullah, Commissioner/Secretary R&B, PHE, I&FC, Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Kumar Verma, Commissioner/Secretary GAD, Hilal Ahmed Parray, Secretary Tourism, Rigzin Samphel, Secretary Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Dr. Abdul Rashid, Secretary Cooperative, Abdul Majid, Director Protocol, Tariq Ahmed Zargar, Director Information, Gulzar Ahmed Dar were among those present on the occasion.
