1. Best Electoral Practices Awards, 2014 Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (General Category) District: Surguja, Chhattisgarh Date: 13 th August, 2014 Presented by: Smt. Ritu Sain, DEO Surguja, Chhattisgarh

2. Features of SVEEP - Surguja I.Empirical & Research based II.Targeted & Customized III.Inclusive & Participatory IV.Economic & Eco-friendly

3. I. Empirical & Research based  Data and trend analysis of Assembly trends, 2013  Questionnaire from voters who did not vote in AE, 2013  4573 (5% of total 92994 who did not vote in AE, 2013)  Feedback from voters who voted in AE, 2013  1000 Survey form from voters who voted  Feedback registers at 5 locations: Collector’s Office, Nagar Nigam, Registrar Office, Tehsil Office and E- Seva Kendra (Filled by 900 people) Total number of voters in AE, 2013: 5,37,412 Voter turnout: 4,44,418, 82.7% Voters who did not vote: 92,994, 17.3% Male turnout: 2,,23,776, 82.47% Female turnout: 2,20,643, 82.9% Booth wise voter turnout % age: Total number of voters in AE, 2013: 5,37,412 Voter turnout: 4,44,418, 82.7% Voters who did not vote: 92,994, 17.3% Male turnout: 2,,23,776, 82.47% Female turnout: 2,20,643, 82.9% Booth wise voter turnout % age: Turnout percentage No. of booths > 90%149 80% - 90%366 70% - 80%113 60% - 70%52 50% - 60%4 Goal Setting: To sustain 4,61,458 and to motivate and engage 96,532

4. Data Analysis of questionnaire & Findings 1. Findings regarding non enrolment of participants in AE, 2013 Need for:  Activation of grass root machinery for information dissemination  Intensive and interactive awareness generation

5. Targeted corresponding strategies  Strengthening and orientation of BLOs through block wise BLO workshops (4,5,6 March)  Presence/ frequent field visits and guidance of district level senior officials  Involvement of Prerak, Patwaris, Rozgar Sahayak & Mitanins  Follow up block wise workshops – findings of survey shared and corrective strategies (photo of BLO)  Regular review through VC of Block level machinery  5 point score assessment and reward system 5 Point score for BLO’s performance, evaluation & award 100% voter registration100% EPIC Coverage100% EPIC distribution 100% voter turnout100% Female voter turnout 5 Point score for BLO’s performance, evaluation & award 100% voter registration100% EPIC Coverage100% EPIC distribution 100% voter turnout100% Female voter turnout As a result, 18,359 names were added

6. 2. Findings regarding non participation (76%)

7. Targeted corresponding strategies  Wide publicity for alternative documents for voting  Intensive drive for EPIC and duplicate EPIC distribution  Close watch on major social and family gatherings on poll day by BLOs, Mitanins, Preraks  Identification of groups who are absent from village and database preparation and establishing direct contact. Groups absent from villages Labor working outside village People gone out in pursuit of career and employment opportunities Female voters who have moved from villages either after marriage or for delivery Govt. employees/ NGO and family members Employees on election duty

8. Identification, database preparation and mode of engagement of absent groups Identified absent group Mode of database preparation and engagement Labor working outside village  Working with contractors at worksites  Working at crushers and brick kilns  Small scale industries, shops, malls, restaurants, hotels, helpers etc. (mostly in urban area)  Labors of MGNREGA  Through works departments  Mining department  Industry and municipal commissioner  Pledges at worksite through Rozgar Sahayaks People gone out of village in pursuit of career and employment opportunities  Colleges/ ITI/ Polytechnic/ University  Employed/ Self employed  Through Principals and voter awareness camps in these institutions and participation of students in all the events under SVEEP Employees in Govt./ Central Govt./ Semi Govt./ NGO and their family members  Workforce in organized sector plus their family members  Data collected from all the Heads of Department/ Institutions  ‘Pledge to vote campaign’ and directives to all departments

9. Identified absent group Mode of database preparation and engagement Employees on election duty  Polling parties: 3574, Flying Squad: 22  Video Team: 3, Static Squad: 40  Zonal/ Sector: 82  Total: 3721  Issued EDC to all who were enrolled in district 3427 (92%) Women  Women who moved after marriage and for delivery  Women who moved to urban areas for employment opportunities  Special drive for correction, addition and deletion of female voters  Special Gram Sabha/ Women Gram Sabha  Door to Door campaign Urban young voters  Reaching through parents through students  Catching them young at colleges, ITIs, polytechnics etc.  Regular SMS to 1.5 lakhs mobile numbers  On polling day, thrice SMS was sent on 56,450 numbers  Telecast of Jagrukta Film: 07  Telecast of voting appeal over 5 news channels for 3 days  Telecast of voter awareness appeal in cinema halls  Appeal on Local FM Radio: 35

10. Database of identified absent groups during AE, 2013 Survey findings Workforce under registered contractors/ laborers at worksite Workforce in private firms and small scale industries Family members of students Family members of Govt. employees Govt. employees Total Not registered831135663635178 6672 (29.9%) EPIC card not available 901205171987321 6689 (29.9%) Not participated in election 2013 19712655382320762 8943 (40%) Total3703591637239421261 22304 (100%)  Total number of voters who did not vote in AE, 2013 in Surguja = 92,994  Direct contact and identification of 22304 which is around 24% of non participants.  3427 employees deployed on Election Duty casted votes through EDC, which is 1000 more than AE, 2013 Database prepared and direct contact with 23,304, 25% of total non participants  16000 MGNREGA workers contacted directly

11. Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy 3. Regarding location of non participants on polling day GHAR GHAR Dastak Abhiyaan Voter’s slip distribution with PEELA CHAWAL Oath taking Signature campaigns Sankalp Patra –Distributed: 2,00,000 –Used: 1,80,352 Biggest challenge was to motivate 29% who were at home and did not vote.

12. Ghar Ghar Dastak, Oath Taking & Signature Campaign

13. Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy 4. Regarding enrolment and turnout of female voters  Special drive for correction, addition and deletion of female voters  Special Gram Sabha/ Ward Sabha meetings organized on International Women Day (8 th March) for enhancing female participation  100 years old lady Smt. Kanak Rani Datta was identified as local female icon and publicized on social and cable media to motivate female voters  Special marks assigned for female participation in BLO’s performance and evaluation

14. Special Gram Sabha/ Women Gram Sabha

15. Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy 5. Regarding issues with EVM usage Mock polls were organized at village level, haat bazaars through Kala Jattha team. EVM demos and mock polls at various locations: Location of DemonstrationFrequency Tehsil Offices07 Sub divisions02 CEO Janpad Offices07 Block level trainings (3 Sessions)21 Jagrukta rath and Kala Jattha in GP’s88 Local Haat Bazars28 Total153

16. EVM demonstration, Kala Jattha Team

17. CORE SVEEP: 10 th – 24 th April, 2014 Voter Awareness Flame - मतदाता जागरूकता ज्योति  Flame lit on 10 th April, 2014  Departure Ceremony – Human Chain and Road show  Baton handover from district HQ, Ambikapur to the block team  Flame taken over by Block team and handed over to GP team  Visit to 48 GPs and 118 villages, 1487 kms, engaged 26,000 voters primarily in low voter turnout areas:11 th – 21 st April  Handing over and taking over at every GP  Return and reception at District HQ on 21 st April at 17:30 – EPIC Rally  Mounting of flame at Vivekanand Chowk  Daily deepshows, band shows, film shows in evening from 21 st – 24 th April  Beating Retreat after poll – 24 th April  Flame lit on 10 th April, 2014  Departure Ceremony – Human Chain and Road show  Baton handover from district HQ, Ambikapur to the block team  Flame taken over by Block team and handed over to GP team  Visit to 48 GPs and 118 villages, 1487 kms, engaged 26,000 voters primarily in low voter turnout areas:11 th – 21 st April  Handing over and taking over at every GP  Return and reception at District HQ on 21 st April at 17:30 – EPIC Rally  Mounting of flame at Vivekanand Chowk  Daily deepshows, band shows, film shows in evening from 21 st – 24 th April  Beating Retreat after poll – 24 th April

18. Schedule of events organized in each GP S. No.TimingActivities 108:00 AMPrabhat Pheri, cultural program and signature campaign 211:00 AMContact and Oath campaign for labor working at MGNREGA sites 301:00 PMMeeting in Panchayat Bhavan, Nukkad Natak 403: 00 PMVoter awareness among females, farmers and senior citizens of village 505:00 PMMashal rally, cultural program and folk songs, street play by Kala Jatha team 608:00 PMDisplay of Audio/ Visual content related to voter awareness Sachiv, Prerak, BLO, Mitanin, Rozgar Sahayak and AWW were present during the entire duration of the ‘Voter Awareness Flame’

19. Targeted audience and customized events structure Awareness at MGNRGA, Crusher sites Labourers Educated and literate voters Females Panchayat Sabha

20. Departure Ceremony: Road Show & Human Chain

21. Handing over and Taking over at GPs

22. EPIC Rally

23. Mounting of Flame at Vivekanand Chowk

24. Deepshows & Band shows

25. Rangoli

26. Beating Retreat after poll on 24 th April

27. II. Inclusive and Participatory  Building partnerships Organizations/ Associations Chember of Commerce Surguja Kirana Club Association Surguja Contractor Association Surguja Auto Association Surguja Brick Kiln Owners Association Surguja Petroleum Association Surguja Forest Association Surguja Jan Sikshan Sansthan Surguja Chartered Accountant Association Press Club Surguja Bank Association Surguja Lions Association Club Surguja Truck Association Surguja Bus Association Surguja Advocate Bar Association Surguja Crusher Association Surguja Rice Millers Association Surguja Private Schools Association Surguja Hindi Literature Organization Surguja State Employee Organization Surguja NGOs32 Sports Association 12 CSOs5 Organizations / Associations 22

28. Across Religion Voter awareness campaign in the district: 13 Masjids – 4800 voters addressed 2 Gurudwaras – 350 voters addressed 10 Temples – 5750 voters addressed 3 Churches – 8635 voters addressed

29. Data Analysis of Feedback Forms  Interactive  Demonstrative  Focused & Targeted  Participatory

30. Content Development: Posters, Wall writings

31. OUTCOMES 1. Highest voter turnout in the state in PE, 2014 The voter turnout in Surguja is 19.32% higher than the last Parliamentary Election in 2009 S.N.DistrictTurnout 118-SURGUJA80.19% 221-BALRAMPUR77.44% 316-RAIGARH77.15% 47-JASHPUR77.05% 527-SURAJPUR75.96% 611-DHAMTARI75.88% 76-KORIA75.73% 815-RAJNANDGAON75.49% 923-GARIYABAND74.48% 1024-KONDAGAON74.14% 1124-KONDAGAON73.50% 1212-BASTAR (JAGDALPUR) 73.44% 1314-MAHASAMUND72.68% 145-KORBA72.60% 153-KABIRDHAM71.27%

32. 2. Voting percentage in PE, 2014 almost equal to AE, 2013

33. 3. Male to Female turnout almost equal in Parliamentary Election, 2014 and Assembly Election, 2013

34. 4. 80% voters used EPIC for voting

35. 5. Number of booths with 60%–80% voter turnout increased in comparison to AE, 2013 PE, 2014 > AE, 2013

36. IV. Economic & Eco friendly Economic 10 times less expenditure in comparison to AE, 2013 Very less expenditure as compared to other districts - PE, 2014 Eco friendly: No use of plastic and minimum use of flex and that too disposed safely

37. THANK YOU