IMPHAL, Jan 20: The Union Cabinet today approved declaration of 25th January every year as the “National Voters Day” beginning from this year and to provide voters to badge with its logo and the slogan “Proud to be a voter Ready to vote”.
According to the release of PIB Imphal, the Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act 1988 was enacted to amend article 326 of the Constitution lowering the voting age from 21 years to 18 years so as to provide the unrepresented youth of the country an opportunity to give vent to their feeling and help them become a part of the political process.
The release further mentioned that, it has been noticed that the new voters (18+ age) are not getting enrolled in the electoral roll in big way year after year. In certain cases, the level of their enrolment is as low as 20 to 25%. In order to effectively deal with this problem, the Election Commission of India has decided to take up a vigorous exercise to identify all eligible voters attaining the age of 18 years as on January 1 every year, in each of the 8.5 lakhs polling stations areas of the country. Such eligible voters shall be enrolled on time and handed over their Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) on the January 25 every year at a brief felicitation to be organized in each polling station area. This initiation is expected a brief felicitation to be organized in each polling station area.
The release further mentioned that this initiation is expected to give the youth a sense of responsible citizenship, empowerment, pride and participation and inspired them to exercise their newly acquired franchise, when occasion arises.
