Excelsior Correspondent
![Deputy Commissioner, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary interacting with people at 'Matdaan Mahotsav' on Sunday.](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/page7-23-300x168.jpg)
Kathua, Dec 7: Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary flagged off “Matdaan Mahotsav Express” from Shaheedi Chowk here with an aim to spread the message of electoral participation across various polling booth areas and to make mass appeal as a part of extensive series of activities in last phase of “Matdaan Mahotsav” campaign launched under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation
CEO Tourism Dr Bharat Bhushan, ARO Anshul Garg, Coordinator SVEEP Dr Jagdish Mehra, Asstt Director P&S B R Sharma, Tehsidar Kathua and other officers attended the function in which social workers and prominent citizens also participated.
Matdaan Mahotsav Express decorated with specially designed posters, slogans, appeals and motivating couplets on the exterior has a mobile polling booth for familiarisation of Electronic Voting Machine. Master trainers have been deputed for spreading electoral literacy. As of now 765 EVM familiarisation camps have already been organised by district administration. The express will cover an area of 180 polling stations in next 12 days and will also accompany the polling booth area teams during distribution of photo voter slips.
Zonal and Sector Magistrates have coordinated around 118 different events on the route of Express to impart electoral literacy and elicit greater response on the poll day. A group of artists will also spread the message of ethical and informed voting through street plays and nataks. Specially designed material on ethical and informed voting will be distributed by concerned BLOs on board Matdaan Mahotsav Express.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shahid called upon the voters to turn up in greater number on December 20 and participate in the festival of democracy which brings together all religions, regions, castes and classes as one force to strengthen the nation. He expressed hope in people of district to continue the momentum of greater participation in ongoing Assembly elections. He also drove the Express Van in the town along with the SVEEP team and later visited various EVM familiarisation camps and voter facilitation counters in the town.