Voter awareness campaign held at Jhelum riverfront in Srinagar

A vibrant Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign was recently organised at the Jhelum Riverfront in Srinagar with the aim to raise awareness among voters ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The event, led by the District Election Officer, saw participation from students of various schools and colleges, contributing creatively to the initiative to educate voters about the electoral process.

The campaign featured a range of activities, including setting up a demo polling station where students demonstrated the voting process to the public. This hands-on approach helped people familiarise themselves with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and understand voter rights and responsibilities. Students used art, posters, and other engaging activities to capture public interest and spread the message about the importance of voting.

Speaking about the programme, Hassan Sheikh, Additional District Development Commissioner, said, “As you know that Assembly voting will take place here soon. So in connection with that, our SVEEP programmes have been going on for the last month. The purpose is that all voters should exercise their right and vote for the candidate of their choice.”

He also urged students and other participants to act as ambassadors within their families and neighbourhoods. “We expect these students and other participants to be ambassadors. They should go to their families, their neighbourhoods, and tell other people about this. Last year in Srinagar, there was a good turnout which was record-breaking, so we expect this time it will be wonderful,” he added.

Meanwhile, students played a central role in the campaign, using their creativity to spread the message of voter awareness. Arshad Soliha, professor of Government College of Education, said, “Under the guidance of nodal officer Prof Dr Seema Naz, who is also the Principal of Government College of Education, we selected students from different colleges in Srinagar for poster-making competition about the importance of voting.”