By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday day signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two prominent organizations, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to amplify its voter outreach and awareness efforts ahead of the forthcoming General Elections to Lok Sabha 2024.
The initiative is in continuation of ECI’s untiring efforts to enhance electoral awareness in the country. Notably, ECI had recently signed an MoU with the Ministry of Education to formally integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of schools and colleges. The MoU was signed today in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Shri Arun Goel. Sh Vineet Pandey Secretary, Department of Posts Shri Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive, IBA and other officials from Department of Posts, IBA and ECI were present on the occasion.
As part of the MoU, IBA & DoP with its members and affiliated institutions/units will extend support in promoting voter education through their extensive network on a pro-bono basis, employing various interventions to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights, processes, and steps for registration and voting.
Despite successfully managing and conducting elections by the Election Commission over the years in fair and peaceful way along with a significant increase in participation of the electors, there is also a concern that around 30 crore electors (out of 91 crore), did not cast their votes in General Election to Lok Sabha 2019. The voting percentage was 67.4%, which the Commission has taken as a challenge to improve upon.
This collaboration with IBA and Department of Posts, signifies a significant step towards strengthening democracy by empowering citizens with knowledge and awareness about their electoral rights and responsibilities. Through concerted efforts, both organizations are committed to fostering a culture of informed and active participation in the electoral process.
