Many colourful ways to attract people to booths

Election ocials roped in youth icons like movie stars, sportsmen, corporate leaders and others to participate in rallies, street marches and other activities to send out a strong message

To popularise the need to exercise one’s franchise, the Election Commission conducted a series of voter awareness campaigns in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

While resident welfare associations and youth icons were called in to create voter awareness, the EC organised a ‘Namma Nade Matagatte Kade’ (walk towards your polling station) and vintage car rally to stress upon the importance of voting. On April 21, a §ag hoisting event was held in all the 30,602 polling booths of the 14 parliamentary constituencies that go to the polls on April 26. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who launched a voter awareness campaign featuring a vintage car and bike rally, on April 21 at Raj Bhavan, emphasised upon the signi—cance of India’s status as the world’s largest democracy, highlighting the crucial role of voters and electoral stakeholders in fortifying the democratic framework.

“Voting is not just a right but a duty, one that forti—es our nation and its democratic principles,” the Governor said, urging citizens to exercise their franchise diligently.

Manoj Kumar Meena,

Chief Electoral O£cer for Karnataka said the lowest voter turnout in the State in the past elections has been from the IT hub of Bengaluru.

“Apathy in the urban electorate is a trend observed across the country. We have learnt some lessons from the previous elections. We roped in resident welfare associations (RWAs) to create awareness and step up our voter slip distribution, especially in gated communities, where our personnel found it di£cult to go,” he said, adding that awareness activities were carried out in garment factories too.

The District Election Of—ce (DEO) in Bengaluru Urban directed companies to sanction leave to the voters on the voting day, failing which action will be initiated. The labour department has been instructed to shut down o£ces working on April 26. Hoteliers have also been asked to allow workers to exercise their franchise.

Tushar Giri Nath, DEO for Bengaluru Urban, said election o£cials roped in youth icons like movie stars, sportsmen, corporate leaders and others to participate in rallies, street marches and other activities to send out a strong message on the importance of voting on the election day.

K. MURALI KUMAR Vintage cars and bikes take part in the voting awareness programme rally, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, to increase voter awareness and voter turnout, starting from Vidhana Soudha.

PTI Students with their hands painted urging people to exercise their franchise as part of voter awareness campaign, in Bengaluru.

.UMESH S. SHETTIGRAR Artists of Sand Theme of Udupi – Harish Saga, Santhosh Bhat Halady and Ujwal Nitte – made a sand art on the Malpe Beach in Udupi to create awareness among people to vote in the Lok Sabha elections

Karnataka Chief Electoral O“icer Manoj Kumar Meena, at the State Level Caricaturist Workshop and Exhibition, organised by the O“ice of the Karnataka Chief Electoral O“icer for voter awareness in connection with the Lok Sabha election , in front of Basavanna’s statue on the east side of the Vidhana Soudha.

KIRAN BAKALE District Returning O“icer and Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Divya Prabhu, SVEEP committee Chairperson Swaroopa T.K., and Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar flagged o“ the voter awareness vehicle and the tableau in Hubballi.

PTI People take part in ‘Vote-A-thon’, a marathon organised to raise voter awareness ahead of the General elections.

H.S.MANJUNATH Publicity material displayed by the SVEEP Committee of Dakshina Kannada at Mannaguddain Mangaluru to create awareness among voters.

AFP An artist in traditional attire performs in front of an election signboard during the Vote-A-Thon.

PTI O“icers and workers take part in a bullock cart rally organised by the district administration to create awareness about voting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Chikkamagaluru district.

PTI Students with placards urging people to vote in the Lok Sabha polls.