Special Niundas to centenarians as Solan embarks on Mission-414

Solan, May 12

District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner (DC) Manmohan Sharma today kickstarted the ‘vote by invitation’ campaign where centenarian voters were extended ‘Niunda’ (invitation letters) in the local dialect to enhance voter participation in the Lok Sabha elections.

Niundas distributed

• A door-to-door invitation and signature campaign launched
• Message reads ‘Vote Paiki Tussa Apna Farz Zaroor Nibhaana’

The DC began this unique campaign by handing over an invitation letter to 105-year old Dalia Ram in Bagetu village of Basha area in Kandaghat tehsil, today.

Dalia Ram, who has never missed voting in any elections, said he always cast his vote and remains eager to participate in the current election and would definitely be at the Basha polling station on election day.

Praising the passion of Dalia Ram, the DC said it was laudable that despite being more than 100 years old, he still wanted to go to the polling booth to cast his vote.

Under Mission-414 of the State Election Department, this campaign has been initiated to enhance voting percentage in 414 polling stations which registered less than 60 per cent voting in the last Lok Sabha polls.

The door-to-door invitation and signature campaign was launched on a massive scale today under the Voter Education and Electoral Participation Program (SVEEP). The campaign aims to establish a personal connect with the masses as the ‘Niunda’ has been prepared in the local language. It emphasises that the voting day, June 1, must not be missed, and people must find time that day to exercise their franchise.

People were asked to vote in large numbers with the appeal being made in chaste local dialect. It also uses a motivational catchphrase — “Vote Paiki Tussa Apna Farz Zaroor Nibhaana” — to inspire people to fulfil their duty as responsible citizens.

District Election Officer Manmohan Sharma said, “Everyone should vote on this occasion of the biggest festival of democracy on June 1. The Election Commission of India is trying to ensure that all voters exercise their franchise. The option to vote from home has also been given to the elderly above 85 years.”

He launched this campaign by putting his signature on the “Wall of Democracy” and distributing invitation letters amongst villagers.

Solan SDM Dr Poonam Bansal said people would be urged to vote through invitation letters and signatures by going from door to door, especially in the low-voting percentage polling stations of the district.