ITANAGAR, Jan 25 - Along with the rest of the country, the 10th National Voters� Day was today observed across Arunachal Pradesh. The theme of the Day was �Electoral Literacy for Stronger Democracy�.
The National Voters� Day aims at making people aware of their voting rights. It is also an occasion to appeal to new voters to take part in the electoral process. The Day has been celebrated since 2011 to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India, which was established on January 25, 1950.
Attending the State-level celebration at Borum, about 13 km from here, Arunachal Pradesh Lokayukta member Yeshi Tsering said that the Day signifies the importance of voting in a democracy and renews people�s faith in the election process.
Requesting all to uphold the pledge taken during the National Voters� Day, Tsering said: �It is our moral obligation to ensure integrity of our election process and exercise our voting right judiciously with full understanding during any election�.
He congratulated the booth level officers (BLOs), who were felicitated for outstanding service, and advised them to continue their good work and ensure that every eligible voter should find his or her name in voters list.
In his speech, State Election Commissioner Hage Kojeen also highlighted the importance of the National Voters� Day and appealed to the young voters to exercise their voting rights in a free and fair manner and choose leaders with good vision and ideologies.
Earlier, the State�s Chief Electoral Officer, Juhi Mukherjee, delivered the welcome address. Altogether 14 BLOs were felicitated with certificates and mementos. Besides, prizes were distributed to winners of essay writing and painting competitions.
Papum Pare DC Pige Ligu, SP Jimmy Chiram, ADC (HQ) Tabang Bodung, officers from the Nirvachan Bhawan, heads of departments, administrative officers, and schoolchildren attended the programme.
Reports of celebration of the Day have also been received from Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district, Aalo (West Siang), Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Tawang, and Roing in Lower Dibang Valley, where person with disability (PwD) voters were honoured by DC Mitali Namchoom.
A Correspondent from Gangtok adds: The National Voters� Day was observed at the Conference Hall of the Zilla Bhawan in East Sikkim district on Saturday.
The function held on the occasion was attended by Sikkim Chief Electoral Officer R Telang. He was accompanied by the District Magistrate of East, Raj Yadav, Special Secretary, Rural Development Department, Anil Raj Rai, Additional Secretary, Election Department, Roshni Rai, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Shyam Pradhan and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Hemant Rai. Also present in the programme were BLOs, EROs, AEROs, Zilla Panchayat members, students, principals and newly registered voters.
The National Voters� Day pledge was administered by the Chief Electoral Officer who, in his address, lauded the freedom enjoyed by citizens of India as compared to other neighbouring countries. He stated that India has sustained itself as the largest democracy in the world due to constitutional rule and independent institutions such as the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India, etc.
