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Naidu also expressed delight over women voting more than men in the 2019 general elections by a margin of 0.17 per cent, for the first time in 70 years, ending the gender gap in the country. (In 1962 general elections, men voter turnout was 16.71 per cent more than that of women)
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Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday urged the Election Commission and the citizens to ensure a voter turnout of 75 per cent in the next general elections to make electoral democracy more inclusive and also sought consensus on simultaneous polls to sustain the tempo of development.
On 12th National Voters Day, Naidu stressed that no voter should be left behind and urged the citizens to judge the contestants in the elections on merit.
Referring to the increase in voter turnout from 44.87 per cent in the first general elections to Lok Sabha during 1951-52 to the highest ever 67.40 per cent for the 17th Lok Sabha in 2019, marking an increase of 50 per cent in voting, Naidu complimented all stakeholders for the same.
Naidu hailed the EC as a credible, responsive and forward-looking institution every votary of democracy can legitimately be proud of. He noted that the challenge before the EC is to ensure a steady increase in voting in every election to make our electoral democracy more inclusive by addressing the barriers to voter participation.
“In the 75th year of our Independence, let us resolve to leave no voter behind and aim to increase the voter turnout to at least 75 per cent in the next general elections. Let each one realize that voting is not only a right but a responsibility. We, as a nation, must think and arrive at a consensus to have simultaneous polls to all the three tiers of federal set up and move towards better governance by focusing our attention on all-around development of our people," he said.
Naidu referred to the substantial 8 per cent increase in voter turnout from 58.21 per cent in the 2009 general elections to 66.44 per cent in 2014, suggesting that it is feasible to reach a 75 per cent voter turnout target from 67.40 per cent in 2019. He complimented the SVEEP(Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation) initiative of the Election Commission launched in 2009 for improving voter participation.
Naidu also expressed delight over women voting more than men in the 2019 general elections by a margin of 0.17 per cent, for the first time in 70 years, ending the gender gap in the country. (In 1962 general elections, men voter turnout was 16.71 per cent more than that of women)
Naidu also urged the Commission to further explore innovative ways in which technology can enhance the credibility and accessibility of the voting process. He also referred to high voter turnout in the range of 74 per cent to 84 per cent in the elections to five State Assembly held under covid protocol last year.
The 12th National Voters Day is being organised on the theme “Making our Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative" on January 25.