SAS Nagar-Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sibin C, exhorted voters to go to polling booths on June 1, with full enthusiasm and zeal to make the state achieve the “Is Vaar 70 Paar” target.
Flagging off a Walkathon from Bougainvillea Garden, Phase 4, Mohali on Sunday morning, organized with the help of local community clubs and NGOs, CEO Sibin C said that the Walkathon aims to raise awareness about the importance of active participation in elections as well as to promote a healthy lifestyle. Participants from various walks of life joined the event, making it a vibrant and successful initiative to connect with the public as part of the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activity.
The Walkathon emphasized the importance of voting and green elections, with participants adorning green T-shirts and caps bearing the slogan "Our Mission-Green Election." Saplings were also distributed to the participants to promote the message of green elections by the Election Commission of India (ECI). CEO Sibin C also planted a sapling in Bougainvillea Garden to underscore the green election message. He also launched green T-shirts and caps.
The CEO said that Mohali and all other districts are ready for voting, with only one week left. To increase turnout and attract more voters, SVEEP activities are in progress to raise awareness about voting rights and encourage participation through various means.
For aged voters and people with disabilities, a new initiative called Home Vote (for those 85+ and PwD) has been launched. Additionally, the mobile app Saksham is helpful for obtaining transport facilities for elderly and PwD voters, as well as volunteer help and wheelchairs at polling booths, he added.
He said that female voters make up approximately 49 percent of the state’s electorate, so special attention is given to them by arranging facilities like creches for babies, waiting areas, AC/coolers/fans to combat heatwave conditions, toilets, and other assured minimum facilities. He added that Rapido has also offered their services for transporting voters to the booths free of cost. He expressed gratitude to the media for partnering in awareness activities under SVEEP to encourage voters.
Punjabi film actress Raj Dhaliwal and actor Darshan Aulakh were also present to acknowledge the efforts of the ECI. ADC (G)-cum-Additional District Election Officer Viraj S. Tidke, who received the Punjab CEO on this occasion, briefed about the election preparedness for ensuring maximum turnout on June 1.
On the occasion, District Nodal Officer SVEEP, Prof. Gurbakhshish Singh Antal, Election Tehsildar Sanjay Kumar, Manpreet Aneja from the CEO Office, artist Gurpreet Singh Namdhari, and Election Kanungo Surinder Batra were also present.