Nonagenarian Shirulaba Kakati of Boko woke up very early on May 7, after spending a sleepless night, excited to cast her vote at her nearest polling station. Her excitement was just the kind of nourishment which galvanised those around her to go all out and vote.
“Once the voting dates were announced, Aita started the countdown,” her grandson Rajesh told Asom Barta. “She believed she might not live to see the next elections.”
“Only after she voted that she had her first sip of water. She has always believed it to be a sacred thing. Since my childhood, I have heard aita saying that voting is our fundamental right,” recalled Rajesh. During Rongali Bihu, Kamrup district administration honoured Kakati for her efforts in increasing voter turnout in her area.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Shamantik Medhi and his wife Meenakshi Saikia flew in from Texas in USA to cast their votes, at times, even entertaining the ghost of giving it a miss. “Posters, memes, and updates from the Election Commission ‘compelled’ us to perform our duty as a citizen,” Shamantik added.
Virtual Reality Technology
Efforts like these, both at the individual level, and those undertaken by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Assam, enabled the State to top the polling percentage in the country by registering a turnout of 81.56%.
The CEO’s office also went the proverbial extra mile to ensure an inclusive and participatory voting process. (See Box)
Emily Barua, Deputy Secretary & Joint CEO, Assam said, “We implemented a series of voters’ education and awareness initiatives: Pre-Election & Post Announcement of Election and during the election. Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP) and the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Plan were formulated after studying voting percentages in various constituencies and understanding existing challenges and gaps. The State SVEEP Plan was crafted based on experience, aiming to attract, motivate, and educate voters.”
Barua said her office used social media in disseminating information, news updates, and activities, with a special focus on new voter registrations. Additionally, a Baseline Knowledge Aptitude & Practice Survey was conducted among voters for educating them on all aspects of the democratic and electoral process.
“Voter helplines and apps such as Know Your Candidate (KYC) and Saksham (for PwDs) were launched to aid voters,” she said while adding that the traditional media were also used to good effect.
The office of the CEO engaged personalities like actors Siddhartha Sharma, Deepjyoti Keot, and para-cyclist Rakesh Banik, who visited various districts to raise electoral awareness, especially in areas with low voter turnout.
“We collaborated with NF Railways, IOCL, GMC, education, postal, and Social Welfare Department to create awareness and an environment of inclusiveness. In a record-breaking event on April 10, 44 lakh women from Self-Help Groups took an electoral pledge thereby entering the India Book of Records.
“Under the ‘Sankalp Patra’ mission, around 1.5 million letters were written by schoolchildren to their parents, urging them to exercise their voting rights,” she added.
The CEO office was supported well by the efforts of the district administrations. One of the most talked about ideas was a trial vote using Virtual Reality technology—a first in India—providing a virtual walkthrough of the polling process, in Kamrup district. Soma Roy, Assisting Officer (SVEEP Cell) Kamrup said, “Additionally, buddy voter programmes were organised in colleges, where those who had voted for the first time in 2021 tied bands on the wrists of those who were to vote for the first time this year, and also guiding them through the voting process.”
Self-Help Groups were used to create awareness through initiatives such as Vote Sakhis and a Pink-Theme Walkathon. Aimoni Bepi Boro, a member of Kallapara Mainang Mahila SHG, said “Participating in the walkathon was an amazing experience. It inspired me to vote. I also spread awareness among the younger generation.”
Mousum Pratim Nath, Election Officer of Nagaon said, “We roped in para-cyclist Banik to educate voters. We tied up with several colleges and organised quiz, rangoli-making, drawing and essay writing competitions on themes related to polls. On National Voters’ Day i.e. January 25, students took the pledge of a fair & fearless voting.”
“These campaigns resulted in the enrolment of 72 transgender, over 400 sex workers and over 4,000 specially-abled persons in the voters’ list,” he said.
