To maximise voting, Ambala authorities hold roadshows

Nitin Jain

With the polling day approaching, officers of the Ambala district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar, are going the extra mile to spread awareness among voters about their right to franchise.

To maximise polling on May 12, they are holding roadshows, and seminars, and visiting schools and colleges. They have even served sweetened cold water to people by holding ‘chhabeels’ in different parts of the district. “Our idea is to reach out to every voter and educate him or her about the value of his or her vote,” says Brar, who is also the Returning Officer for the Ambala (Reserved) Lok Sabha seat. 

The officers are appealing to voters to cast their votes on May 12. “Voting is very essential to strengthen our democracy,” says Bharat Bhushan Kaushik, SDM, Barara, who has stepped up the voter awareness campaign in his subdivision as well.

Brar is serving sweetened cold water to passersby herself and appealing to them to exercise their right to franchise on coming Sunday. “It is a new initiative to generate awareness about the voting right. During ‘chhabeels’, people passing through the district are offered sweetened cold drinking water and encouraged to cast their votes,” says Kaushik.

He says that on the directions of the Election Commission of India, people are provided water in special cups so that they remember the date of elections (May 12) to increase the voting percentage. 

The Deputy Commissioner says that the SVEEP programme is being organised on the instructions of the Election Commission to generate awareness about the importance of voting among voters. The district administration focused on youths by organising different activities in educational institutions about the importance of voting. “In a democracy, every single vote is of great importance. Therefore, every voter must vote, as this opportunity is available only once in five years,” she told people while offering them water.

Every vote matters: DC

Our idea is to reach out to every voter and educate him or her about the value of vote. In a democracy, every vote is  important. Therefore, every voter must vote, as this opportunity comes after five years. —Sharandeep Kaur Brar, DC