gujarat-poll-officials-to-distribute-20-lakh-voter-invitations

Election authorities in Gujarat are set to dispatch more than 20 lakh invitations to voters, with a particular focus on women, across the state in a bid to enhance participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, officials disclosed on Friday.

 

The initiative aims to target over 13,000 polling stations where the gender gap in voter turnout exceeds 10 per cent and where overall participation was below 50 per cent during the previous legislative elections, as per an official release.

 

P Bharathi, Gujarat's Chief Electoral Officer, will extend invitations to approximately 20.3 lakh voters, predominantly women, urging their active involvement in the forthcoming general elections.

 

Families will be encouraged to vote together as part of the campaign.

 

Gujarat's 26 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled for polling in the third phase on May 7.

 

During the 2019 parliamentary elections, Gujarat recorded a voter turnout of 64.11 per cent, slightly lower than the national average of 67.40 per cent.

 

“The Chief Electoral Officer has appealed to women voters to take time out of their busy schedules to vote with their families and inspire others to do the same through these invitation cards,” said the release.

 

In addition, District Election Officers have been instructed to conduct ‘Chunav Pathshalas’ at all polling stations to discuss the reasons for low voter turnout and to make efforts to ensure maximum voter participation, it said.

 

"Street meetings are being organised by Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, Booth Level Officers, school principals, talatis, gram sevaks, non-political social leaders of villages and members of self-help groups under Chunav Pathshalas”, it added.