In a first-of-it’s kind initiative the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to strengthen it’s voter mobilisation and awareness efforts ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections.
The MoU was signed on Monday in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and the Election commissioner Arun Goel.
The ECI said in a statement, “The IBA and the Department of Posts signed a MoU to amplify it’s voter outreach and awareness efforts ahead of the forthcoming general elections, banks and post offices will display voter education messages on their websites, social media and through posters, hoardings etc. at their offices and major locations”
The IBA and DoP will set up voter awareness for their employees as well as customers. The IBA represents 247 private and public sector banks with 1.63 lakh branches and 2.19 lakh ATM’s in the country. The ECI added, that they would carry out discussions and other initiatives for voter awareness.
The Department of Posts will put a special cancellation stamp with voter awareness messages on postal articles as well.
Over the years, the Election Commission has adeptly managed and overseen elections in a fair and peaceful manner, resulting in a notable increase in voter participation. However, there remains a concern regarding the approximately 30 crore eligible voters (out of 91 crore) who abstained from voting in the 2019 General Election for the Lok Sabha. The voter turnout stood at 67.4 percent, prompting the Commission to view this as a challenge to address.
In an effort to promote informed and active engagement in the electoral process, both entities are dedicated to cultivating a culture of electoral literacy. The Election Commission recently formalized this commitment by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education to incorporate electoral education into the academic curriculum of schools and colleges.
Follow us
