City youth can now get voter I-cards from colleges

Anahita Mukherji | TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Enthusiastic collegians keen on exercising their franchise but put off by the daunting task of getting themselves registered as voters will now have absolutely no excuse for not voting. In what’s probably the first-ever exercise of its kind in the country, the state election commission has brought the registration process right to the college campus.

Maharashtra’s chief election officer Debashish Chakrabarty has launched a campaign for ‘voter awareness and registration’ among college students. He was recently approached by the NGO AGNI (Action for Good Governance in India) and iVote-Wear the Mark, a student organisation, asking him to “catch ‘em young’’.

“Data during the Lok Sabha elections shows that only around 10% of Mumbai’s youth between 18 and 25 are voters,’’ says Chakrabarty, who responded to the appeal with alacrity. He has already sent out letters to about 50 colleges in Mumbai asking for their cooperation and is in the midst of communicating with the remaining colleges in the city.

The letter has asked colleges to allow AGNI and iVote volunteers to help with the campaign on campus. If the campaign works in Mumbai, Chakrabarty will consider starting it in other cities in Maharashtra. Colleges now have the power to certify a student’s date of birth and address for the election commission. Chakrabarty has enclosed a simple format of the certificate in his letter to principals.

Principals who are keen on participating in the campaign can invite AGNI and iVote volunteers to the college. “We will then put up posters across the college, address students on the need to vote and distribute voter registration forms to them. Students will then fill in these forms on campus in the presence of AGNI and iVote volunteers, who will address any queries that students may have while filling out their details. We will ensure that there are no mistakes on any of the forms,’’ said Gerson da Cunha, convenor, AGNI.

The completed registration forms, along with the certificates from colleges, will be collected either by AGNI and iVote volunteers or by officials from the Election Registration Office who will then route the forms to the election registration officers in charge of the areas where the students live. The processed voter ID cards will be sent to the colleges which can then pass them on to the students.

Principals thrilled with voter drive

Mumbai: Chief election officer of the state Debashish Chakrabarty has some dedicated college students participating in his voter awareness campaign. Natasha Kewalramani, a 20-year-old St Xavier’s College student, began iVote last year when she was faced with the task of getting herself registered as a voter. She wanted to simplify the process for other students.

Kewalramani compiled a great deal of matter on the topic and has actively canvassed for the need for citizens to vote at several city colleges. A large number of collegians joined hands with her. It’s while she was looking up information on how to vote that she came across the AGNI website and subsequently got in touch with da Cunha.

Several principals are thrilled with the latest initiative. K C College principal Manju Nichani says she’s excited about the project and wants to ensure that all her students understand the importance of voting.

St Xavier’s College has also held talks for students on the need to vote. “I think there’s been a great mobilisation of young people in the city even before the recent terror attacks. The youth are eager to do something for the country,’’ says Xavier’s principal Fr Frazer Mascarenhas. anahita.mukherji@timesgroup.com