The Election Commission and the National Literacy Mission Authority of the HRD Ministry today signed an MoU to help sensitise citizens about their electoral rights.
The MoU on 'Electoral Literacy and Greater Participation for a Stronger and Inclusive Democracy', the first by EC with a government department will help sensitise citizens, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged including women, SCs, STs, Minorities, in NLMA-covered districts, about their electoral rights and exercise of franchise.
Electoral literacy will form part of curriculum for adult literacy and basic education. The NLMA will spread electoral literacy during its environment building and mass mobilisation campaigns, with specific focus on electoral registration and informed and ethical voting in coordination with the Election Commission.
The MoU was signed by EC Director General Akshay Rout and NLMA Director General Jagmohan Singh Raju, in the presence of Minister of Human Resource Development M M Pallam Raju and Chief Election Commissioner of India V S Sampath.
Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and Nasim Zaidi were among other officials present.
Raju complimented ECI for its initiatives on voters education and said, the right to vote is one of the most powerful instruments of empowerment. He observed that political empowerment specially of women, the disadvantaged and excluded groups is a true goal of the Literacy Mission. He suggested that action under the MOU should be reviewed every six months at a higher level.
CEC Sampath hoped the MOU will help bridge the deficit in enrolment, particularly among women and the youth. Underlining the Commission commitment to greater participation, he emphasised on the need of effective partnerships with credible and competent organisations to achieve this goal.
He said the Commission will be keen to have another partnership for urban areas to deal with problems of under registration and urban apathy.
Tharoor described the MOU as a historic beginning and innovative collaboration based on common objectives. He said such convergence could serve as a model for governance for more empowered democracy.
Brahma asked for mapping of the whole country in terms of voter participation and observed that it is education alone that can instill a sense of pride in citizens about electoral participation.
