Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi today expressed concern at the declining voter turnout in elections and said voters' education is the only way to increase participation.
He said across the world many democracies are experiencing declining voter turnout and increasing apathy to vote amongst specific groups of people.
"717 million (people) were registered as electors and 300 million people did not turn out to vote in the last Lok Sabha elections," Zaidi said.
He said the poll watchdog realised that "it needed to tread the last mile" where issues like healthy and complete electoral rolls, urban apathy, women's participation, deficit and youth indifference to the electoral process were to be tackled.
"It was acknowledged that voters' education is not only the correct but also the most appropriate way to improve participation in a democracy compared to any other alternative," Zaidi said addressing a gathering after inaugurating 'Matdata Mahotsav' (Voters' Grand Festival) here.
He said the festival is an effort to initiate the process of collaboration for enhanced and quality participation in the elections. Matdata Mahotsav 2016 marks completion of five successful events of the National Voters Day on January 25, when the EC came into being in 1950.
This year's theme is Inclusive and Qualitative Participation and the slogan is 'no voter should be left behind'.
The event will host a national exhibition displaying the good practices on various aspects of poll management and also describe the process of elections through interactive models, presentations and exhibits from different parts of the country.
Every state has been provided a stall in which they will show their unique geographical, cultural and linguistic diversities and how they address their challenges and conduct elections with perfection.
