The Election Commission of India has launched a special campaign in Himachal Pradesh with a singular goal: to enhance voter turnout in 414 polling stations that witnessed less than 60% voting during the previous Lok Sabha polls. This comprehensive initiative, known as ‘Mission 414’, encompasses a range of objectives, strategies, and targeted interventions aimed at revitalizing democratic participation across the state.
Objectives of ‘Mission 414’
The primary goal of ‘Mission 414’ is to increase the voter percentage in targeted polling stations that exhibited low turnout in past elections. This initiative aligns with the EC's broader vision of promoting democratic participation and ensuring robust electoral engagement across diverse demographics.
Strategies and Implementation
To achieve its objectives, the Election Commission has devised several strategic approaches:
- Awareness Campaigns: Engaging in extensive awareness campaigns to educate and motivate voters about the importance of casting their votes.
- Cultural Events: Organizing cultural events to create a vibrant atmosphere around the electoral process and encourage community involvement.
- Model Polling Stations: Designating the identified 414 stations as model polling stations, emphasizing efficiency, accessibility, and voter-friendly facilities.
- Youth Engagement: Collaborating with young voters, especially first-time voters, through booth youth icons and special initiatives like creating invitation cards by children.
Targeted Interventions
- Implementing focused initiatives to elevate turnout in 22 assembly segments with less than 70% voting.
- Executing door-to-door outreach programs to motivate voters, especially in areas with historically low participation.
Empowering Women Voters
A key focus of the Election Commission's efforts is empowering women voters. This includes appointing "Mahila Preraks" in gram panchayats to encourage women's participation. Additionally, collaborating with women icons and campus ambassadors plays a crucial role in reaching out to working women and housewives, ensuring their active involvement in the electoral process.
Effective Election Management
To ensure smooth and efficient elections, the Election Commission has enhanced polling station supervision. This includes increasing the number of polling stations to 7,990, with 150 stations exclusively supervised by women officers, 54 stations to youth officers, and 29 to officers with disabilities for efficient management.
Special facilities, such as home voting for 56,320 Persons with Disabilities (PwD) voters and 60,995 voters aged above 85 years ,are also provided, catering to their specific needs.
Voter Demographics and Trends
Understanding voter demographics is crucial for effective electoral planning. With a total of 56,38,422 eligible voters, including men, women, and third-gender individuals, the Election Commission identifies notable demographics such as 1,38,918 first-time voters and 10,40,756 voters aged 20-29. Anticipating a surge in youth voters, advance applications from the 17-plus age group reaching 18 are closely monitored to project youth turnout.
Electoral Guidelines
Adhering to electoral guidelines ensures fair and transparent practices. The Election Commission sets expenditure limits of Rs 95 lakh for Lok Sabha polls and Rs 40 lakh for assembly bypolls, promoting equitable campaigning and electoral conduct.
Noteworthy Polling Station Facts
Certain polling stations stand out due to their unique characteristics. For instance, Tashigang polling station in Lahaul and Spiti, located at an altitude of 15,256 feet, holds the distinction of being the highest in the country.
On the other hand, Manola polling station in Dalhousie boasts the highest number of voters (1,410), while Kaa polling station in Kinnaur records the lowest with just 16 voters.
These comprehensive measures and insights showcase the Election Commission's commitment to fostering inclusive democracy and ensuring a smooth electoral process in Himachal Pradesh.
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