 "Election Commission")
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to increase voter outreach and awareness efforts ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
As part of the MoU, IBA and DoP, along with their members and affiliated institutions and units, will provide pro bono support for voter education through their extensive network, employing various interventions to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights, processes, and steps for registration and voting, said the ECI in a release.
Members and affiliated institutions and units will display voter education messages prominently on their websites, encouraging visitors to learn more about the electoral process, the release said.
Voter education messages will be exhibited in the form of posters, banners, and hoardings at significant office infrastructure and premises, reaching customers at critical touchpoints.
According to the ECI release, all IBA and DoP member institutions will establish voter awareness forums to engage staff and consumers in discussions and initiatives related to voter education.
Also Read
The Department of Posts will also affix a special cancellation stamp (bearing voter education messages) on the postal articles.
Despite successfully managing and conducting elections by the ECI over the years in a fair and peaceful way, along with a significant increase in the participation of the electors, there is also a concern that around 300 million electors (out of 910 million) did not cast their votes in the 2019 general election. The voting percentage was 67.4 per cent, which the Commission has taken as a challenge to improve upon.
Through concerted efforts, both organisations are committed to fostering a culture of informed and active participation in the electoral process, the release added.
