EC sends out voice messages, holds cycle rally, asks ‘Tenida’ to bring voters to booths
Times of India | 1 June 2024
Kolkata: Voice messages and alerts on phone, a special tram ride, blood donation camp and even an appeal by ‘Tenida’—EC has been exploring various measures to draw voters to polling booths in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections today.
EC officials said they were a bit concerned about possible low turnout in Kolkata and neighbourhoods, especially in Kolkata North, which had recorded 65.7% poll percentage in 2019 LS polls.The election panel tied up with telecom companies to send out messages and alerts to citizens, requesting them to cast their votes, a democratic right. An EC official said apart from text and voice messages, they were also sending voter slips to individuals’ addresses.
“We operated a specially decked-up tram between Esplanade and Shyambazar to spread awareness about rights of voting and the polling process. Besides, we held a blood donation camp and a bicycle rally with polling message. ‘Tenida’, the popular Bengali literature icon, roamed the streets of north Kolkata, appealing citizens to cast their votes. Announcements are also made at the Sealdah station and at metro stations,” said an EC official, adding announcements were also being made at ferry ghats, which are also used by a large number of people every day.
Appeals were also made on public announcement systems at shopping malls, said additional chief electoral officer Arindam Neogi. “We tried to reach out to voters living in high-rises through residents’ welfare associations. Even police kiosks and digital boards have EC’s appeal. We also sent booth-level officers for direct contact with voters,” Neogi said.
EC official said they were concentrating on Kolkata North assembly constituencies, like Jorasanko, Shyampukur, Maniktala, Cossipore-Belgachhia, Beliaghata, Entally and Chowringhee, that had low turnouts in 2019 LS polls—57.1%, 67.1%, 70.5%, 64.9%, 68.4%, 72.4% and 58.4% respectively. Kol South’s turnout was 69.6% in 2019.