BBMP Chief Commissioner inaugurates Vote Fest

Bengaluru, April 8: Majority of people are working in Information Technology, Bio Technology and other companies in Bengaluru but the voter turnout has been on decline and arrangements are being made to address this issue, according to BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri nath.

Speaking after inaugurating Vote Fest, organised in association with the Election Commission, on Church Street in the city on Saturday, the BBMP Chief Commissioner has said that the voter turnout has been on decline in the last State Assembly elections. “I want all of us have to motivate and encourage people to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections to the State Assembly,’’ said the BBMP Chief Commissioner.

Stating that the people exercising their franchise in the elections is the top priority in a democratic country, the BBMP Chief Commissioner has said that all the voters have to cast their votes without fail in the elections. “We are organising awareness programmes in association with residents’ welfare associations, hotel associations, hospitals, first time voters, and industrialists on the importance of exercising franchise in the elections,’’ he said.

He said that youth are the ambassadors of the forthcoming Assembly elections. “The youth have to encourage their neighbours to cast their votes in the elections. They have to work hard to ensure the State Assembly elections a grand success,’’ he said.

Appealing to all the voters to visit polling stations on May 10 to exercise their franchise, he said the Vote Fest organised on the Church Street would help youth to visit the polling stations on the polling day. “The number of first time voters has crossed one lakh during this election. The youth who are attained 18 years of age have to come forward to cast their votes in the coming elections to the State Assembly. We have established around 400 Electoral Literacy Clubs at colleges across the state to create awareness on the importance of enrolling youth who attained 18 years as voters. Special arrangements are made for the benefit of senior citizens and differently abled persons to enable them exercise their franchise,’’ he said.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy has said that Bengaluru has become a cosmopolitan city and the need of the hour is to increase the percentage of voting in the State Assembly elections. “The percentage of voter turnout in the elections has been on decline.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Rajendra Cholan, Bengaluru Urban District Deputy Commissioner Dayanand, and Special Electoral Officer A V Surya Sen and other officers were present on the occasion.

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