Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Nov 4: District Administration organised a Major Electoral Conference at Sports Stadium Kathua for launch of various campaigns and activities at village level in a function held as a part of “Matdaan Mahotsav” – 2 month long campaign under Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP).
More than 6000 participants attended the conference which was addressed by District Election Officer (Deputy Commissioner) Kathua, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary and other senior officers of district administration.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy, CEO Tourism Dr Bharat Bhushan, Joint Director Agriculture, ACR S P Rukwal, ACD Tilak Raj, CMO Dr Sangra, Chief Education Officer, Tehsildars, BDOs, CDPOs and Polling Booth Area Teams (PBATs) of Kathua and Hiranagar and SVEEP teams of Bani, Basohli and Billawar attended the conference. A large number of women and young voters from various areas were present in the electoral conference.
Speakers elaborated upon the various aspects of electoral awareness and participation and the aims of SVEEP; campaigns launched for differently abled voters, special voters, border residents, women participation, youth voters, senior citizens and for distribution of voter slips was discussed. BDOs Ajay Salan, Pardeep Kumar, Ashraf Choudhary, Sunil Kumar, Vipin Bhagat organised the electoral conference, presented details of campaigns on electoral awareness and participation. BDO Barnoti Suninder Jeet Kour, Tehsildar Billawar Manmeet Kumar, and others presented details of electoral schemes.
Cultural programmes in Dogri aimed at ethical and informed voting were presented by the music troupe of Information Department Kathua and CDPO Hiranagar organised a series of awareness skits, motivational plays and shows during the electoral conference. Master Trainers established stalls for EVM awareness among the participants and PBATs.
The DC called upon the PBATs, volunteers and members of election teams to ensure 100% electoral literacy and greater participation in Assembly election and asked them to follow the SVEEP Code of Conduct in all events. He hoped for a record participation in the district as administration has reached to every voter in various ways.
A mass pledge was administered to the gathering by Dr Bharat Bhushan CEO Tourism Dev Authority which was followed by National Anthem and District Election Song.