President Ram Nath Kovind has said it is everyone’s responsibility, especially of the youth who get the right to vote for the first time, to exercise their franchise with the utmost sincerity and inspire others too to do so.
Addressing the 11th National Voters’ Day Celebrations, organised by the Election Commission, the President said, “Since independence, our Constitution has given equal voting rights to all citizens without any discrimination on the basis of merit, religion, race, caste,” the President said.
The President praised the EC for conducting elections in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh last year during the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that it was an extraordinary achievement of our democracy.
Addressing the gathering, Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner, said that the Commission will visit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala after January 26. The term of the existing Tamil Nadu Assembly is till May 24 while that of the Kerala Assembly is till June 1. The Puducherry Assembly’s term is till June 8.
The Commission has already visited West Bengal and Assam where the term of the existing Assemblies is till May 30 in the case of West Bengal and May 31 for Assam.
The National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011 all across the country to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission.
During the event, the President also launched the Election Commission’s Web Radio: ‘Hello Voters’ – an online digital radio service.