In a groundbreaking move, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has joined hands with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to ramp up efforts in reaching out to voters and raising awareness ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday, with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Arun Goel overseeing the occasion.
The signing ceremony witnessed the participation of key officials, including Vineet Pandey, Secretary of the Department of Posts, and Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive of the IBA, along with representatives from the respective departments and the ECI. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the ECI’s ongoing endeavors to enhance electoral awareness across the nation.
Under the terms of the MoU, the IBA and DoP, along with their members and affiliated institutions, have pledged to lend support in promoting voter education through their extensive networks, free of charge. This will involve utilizing various channels to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights, registration procedures, and voting processes.
Additionally, member institutions will prominently display voter education messages on their websites, guiding visitors to learn more about the electoral system. These messages will also be disseminated through social media platforms and other customer outreach channels, ensuring broad awareness among stakeholders and the general public.
Moreover, efforts will be made to reach voters at key touchpoints by displaying voter education materials such as posters, flex, and hoardings at office premises and other strategic locations. Furthermore, all member institutions under the IBA and DoP will establish Voter Awareness Fora to facilitate discussions and initiatives related to voter education among employees and customers.
In a bid to further bolster voter awareness, the Department of Posts will affix special cancellation stamps bearing voter education messages on postal articles. These collective initiatives aim to address concerns regarding voter turnout, particularly highlighted by the significant number of electors who did not cast their votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The ECI, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, had recently inked another MoU to integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of schools and colleges. With these concerted efforts, both the Election Commission and its collaborators are committed to fostering a culture of informed and active participation in the electoral process.
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