Many colourful ways urge people to vote

People take part in ‘Vote-a-thon’, a marathon organised to raise voter awareness ahead of General Elections 2024. (Source: -)

To popularise the need to exercise one’s franchise, the Election Commission conducted a series of voter awareness campaigns in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

Vintage Cars and bikes take part in the voting awareness program rally, ahead of General Lok Sabha Elections - 2024, to increase voter awareness and voter turnout, starting from Vidhana Soudha. (Source: MURALI KUMAR K)

While resident welfare associations and youth icons were called in to create voter awareness, the EC organised a ‘Namma Nade Matagatte Kade’ (walk towards your polling station) and vintage car rally to stress upon the importance of voting. On April 21, a flag hoisting event was held in all the 30,602 polling booths of the 14 parliamentary constituencies that go to the polls on April 26.

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Artists of Sand Theme of Udupi – Harish Saga, Santhosh Bhat Halady and Ujwal Nitte – made a sand art on the Malpe Beach in Udupi on Sunday to create awareness among people to vote in the coming Lok Sabha elections. (Source: UMESH S SHETTIGRAR)

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who launched  a voter awareness campaign featuring a vintage car and bike rally,  on April 21 at Raj Bhavan, emphasised upon the significance of India’s status as the world’s largest democracy, highlighting the crucial role of voters and electoral stakeholders in fortifying the democratic framework.

Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena, at the “State Level Caricaturist Workshop and Exhibition”, organised by the Office of the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer for voter awareness in connection with the Lok Sabha General Election - 2024, in front of Basavanna’s statue on the east side of the Vidhana Soudha. (Source: MURALI KUMAR K)

“Voting is not just a right but a duty, one that fortifies our nation and its democratic principles,” the Governor said, urging citizens to exercise their franchise diligently, saying that each vote contributes to the strength and resilience of the republic. 

Publicity material displayed by the SVEEP Committee of Dakshina Kannada ​at Mannaguddain Mangaluru to create awareness among voters. (Source: MANJUNATH HS)

District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Divya Prabhu, SVEEP committee Chairperson Swaroopa T.K., and Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar flagged off the voter awareness vehicle and the tableau in Hubballi. (Source: KIRAN BAKALE)

Manoj Kumar Meena, Chief Electoral Officer for Karnataka said the lowest voter turnout in the State in the past elections has been from the IT hub of Bengaluru. “Apathy in the urban electorate is a trend observed across the country. We have learnt some lessons from the previous elections. We roped in resident welfare associations (RWAs) to create awareness and step up our voter slip distribution, especially in gated communities, where our personnel found it difficult to go,” he said, adding that awareness activities were carried out in garment factories too.

Students with placards urging people to vote for ongoing Lok Sabha polls take part in a voter awareness campaign. (Source: SHAILENDRA BHOJAK)

The District Election Office (DEO) in Bengaluru Urban directed companies to sanction leave to the voters on the voting day, failing which action will be initiated. The labour department has been instructed to shut down offices working on April 26. Hoteliers have also been asked to allow workers to exercise their franchise. 

Officers and workers take part in a bullock cart rally organised by the district administration to create awareness about voting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Chikkamagaluru district.

Tushar Giri Nath, DEO for Bengaluru Urban, said election officials roped in youth icons like movie stars, sportsmen, corporate leaders and others to participate in rallies, street marches and other activities to send out a strong message on the importance of voting on the election day.