Voters’ Education & Awareness : Innovative Practices : 1 District Election Officer, VADODARA General Election 2009 Vijay Nehra, IAS

2 Vadodara district took some innovative steps in the election process with a view to educating the voters to register their names in electoral roll and to help them in locating their names in the electoral rolls, finding the polling booths where they have to cast their votes and using EVMs.

3 Election Helpline A telephone helpline was started to help the voters in tracing out their names and find the location of the polling stations where they have to cast their votes.

4 Election Helpline A simple software was used which could find out the voter details and tell the location of the PS if the caller gave either the EPIC no. or his name

5 Election Helpline Total 10 lines were operated and approximately 400 calls were attended daily. Operators were imparted special training in replying to the queries of voters in a professional manner.

6 Awareness through the help of residential housing societies After the new delimitation of constituencies, it became important to help voters to locate their new voting booths. A novel experiment was undertaken by writing letters to the presidents/secretaries of the residential housing societies informing them about the polling booths wherein the residents of the respective societies have to cast their votes Such letters were issued.

7 Awareness through display of posters and banners Posters and banners showing the details of polling stations and polling booths were displayed in most of the residential societies and residential cum commercial complexes which created significant awareness among the voters.

8 Roadside Helpdesks 20 roadside helpdesks were installed at various busy locations to help voters in searching their names from the electoral rolls and the details of polling booths.

9 Awareness Campaign through FM Radio Popular FM Radio channel services were utilized to create voters awareness on registration of voters in the electoral rolls. Prerecorded messages were broadcast during the popular programmes of the channels appealing the voters to get their names registered in the electoral roll.

10 Awareness Campaign through Cable TV Network Slides and scrolls appealing the viewers to register or verify their names during the electoral rolls revision programme were displayed on cable TV network.

11 Awareness Campaign through Cable TV Network 5 Short plays dramatized by faculty and students of performing arts faculty of MS University were filmed and exhibited through cable TV Network.

12 EVM Awareness Demonstration Programmes of EVMs were organized at various locations to sensitize the voters on using EVMs to cast their vote.

13 EPIC Coverage Continuous efforts resulted in significant rise of EPIC Coverage % 90.93%

Voter Turnout(%) during Parliamentary Elections % % %

Legislative Assembly Election 2007

General Election 2009 No Complaints reported

17 Thank You