January 25 is celebrated as National Voters’ Day in India to encourage the country’s voters to participate in the electoral process.
This year marks the 12th observance of the event. On this day, the Election Commission of India (ECI) creates awareness about the need to participate in the electoral process through voting.
Those who attain 18 years of age get eligible to cast their votes. Below, we look at the history and significance of National Voters’ Day.
Observing the new voters, who have attained the age of 18 years, were showing less interest in getting enrolled in the electoral rolls, she said the level of their enrolment was as low as 20 to 25 per cent in certain cases.
“In order to effectively deal with this problem, the Election Commission has decided to take up a vigorous exercise to identify all eligible voters attaining the age of 18 years as of January 1 every year in each of the 8.5 lakh polling stations across the country,”
HISTORY
National Voters Day began as an initiative by the Election Commission of India in the year 2011. A Union Council of Ministers meeting took place under the then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.
It was noticed that young people who were of voting age were reluctant to register themselves as voters. This led to the founding of National Voters’ Day to identify the youth who have turned 18, enroll them and then provide them with their
Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC). January 25 was chosen as the date of observance of National Voters’ Day to commemorate the founding of The Election Commission on this day in 1950.
The Government of India celebrates National Voters’ Day to identify those eligible to vote, inspire people to vote, and assure voters about the safety of the electoral process.
National Awards are conferred each year to district and state-level election officers, personnel from agencies, PSUs, CSO, and members from the media. Various districts conduct competitions and cultural activities to spread awareness about the importance of voting.
WHY IS NATIONAL VOTERS ’ DAY OBSERVED ON 25 JANUARY?
The Election Commission of India was founded on 25 January 1950. During the rallies in the government campus in 2011, a union cabinet meeting chaired by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepted the Law Ministry’s proposal to enact 25 Jan as National Voters’ Day.
WHY IS VOTING IMPORTANT?
Voting is one of the most impactful things you can do for yourself and your community. On a macro level, it’s easy to think that you’re just one person and that your vote doesn’t make much of a difference but it really makes a difference.
It’s an individual responsibility to give the vote to choose prominent leaders for us. It’s not enough to just demand for change but you have to go and make change by voting.
This right to vote is the basic right without which all others are meaningless.
Voting is also very important because we as citizens of India decide and make different governors, mayors, judges, and presidents are all selected by the general population through the voting system, or else they are decided upon by the elected officials.
NATIONAL VOTERS DAY 2022: THEME
The theme for this year’s National Voters Day is ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible & Participative.
The theme underscores the primary objective for the observance of National Voters’ Day, which is to urge adults to participate in the democratic process of choosing their elected representatives.
The theme for last year was ‘Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed.
