The Punjab Chief Electoral Officers Office has named Indian cricketer Shubman Gill a state icon for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
According to a statement given to a news syndicate on Monday, Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C stated that Gill will engage in various voter outreach campaigns to secure a 70% voting turnout. The poll panel has set the objective of ''Is Vaar 70 Paar''.
Punjab had a voting turnout of 65.96% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections for 13 seats. According to the CEO, Punjab native Gill, who is well-liked by sports fans, particularly young people, has been named a ''state icon'' for the elections.
Shuman Gill, also a "youth icon" who is currently representing India in all three formats of the game. He made his debut for the Indian cricket team in January 2019 in an ODI match against New Zealand. Since then, he has been a regular member of the Indian team in both ODIs and Test matches.
Gill has also captained the India Under-19 cricket team and played a crucial role in India's victory in the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
His performances in domestic and international cricket have earned him recognition as one of the most promising young talents in Indian cricket.
Sibin C said, "In a meeting with all deputy commissioners of Punjab on Friday, they were requested to identify regions where the voting percentage was low in the previous elections."
He added that Shubman Gill's awareness initiatives and appeals in such places will energise voters and contribute to increased turnout.
Tarsem Jassar, a prominent Punjabi singer, had previously been chosen as a 'state icon' and will also make similar efforts, he said.
The CEO expressed hope that Shubman Gill and Tarsem Jassar would persuade first-time voters to use their right to vote while also encouraging people of all ages to vote in significant numbers. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to take place in April and May.
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