STATE TIMES NEWS
RAMNAGAR: Since the wheels of election to the legislative assembly in J&K have set in motion last month, the festive season of democracy has commenced with verve and vigor in Udhampur district.
District Election Officer Saloni Rai and her team are putting best of their efforts to educate and aware each and every voter as mandated by Election Commission of India under SVEEP. The innovative activities are being carried out in every nook and corner of the assembly constituencies in the district.
The Ramnagar Assembly constituency is one where the low voter turnout had been recorded in the past elections and mandated extra efforts to organize SVEEP events to educate the voters and motivate them towards their inclusive participation in the election. SDM Ramnagar, designated as Returning Officer of the said AC is putting in extra efforts to reach out each and every voter by organizing different events and activities and involving voters across the age cohort.
A series of events are being organized as per the pre-designed schedule of SVEEP activities. The local artists, social influencers, Govt officers and young voters are engaged to motivate and educate the voters.
A vibrant and ardent event that is traditional sports- Dangal (wrestling) was organized today at village Kirmoo, Ramnagar, by SDM Ramnagar in collaboration with the Dangal Committee Badoi Ramnagar. The event, organized as part of the SVEEP campaign, aimed to promote voter awareness and encourage maximum participation in the upcoming legislative assembly elections scheduled for October 1, 2024.
Over 1200 people from all walks of life gathered to witness the traditional sport of Dangal, an activity deeply rooted in rural culture.
The event was conducted under the patronship of Returning Officer and SDM Ramnagar, Rafiq Ahmad Jaral, who clubbed the event with voter awareness.
The SDM Ramnagar while speaking on the Dangal delves into its historical journey to the contemporary resurgence with the world famous Bollywood movie Dangal, which catapulted this traditional sport to global fame like our democratic process.
He highlighted the parallels between Dangal sport and the democratic process, as both are our socio- cultural heritage symbolizing strength, honor, and discipline. He emphasized the importance of voter participation, likening the strength, resilience, and discipline shown by wrestlers in the Dangal arena to the responsibility of citizens to exercise their voting rights. “Just as wrestlers fight with determination in the ring, we as citizens must display the same commitment in protecting our democracy by voting in the upcoming elections. SVEEP is about ensuring that no voter is left behind and encourages all eligible voters to participate actively in this crucial democratic exercise,” he remarked. The Dangal event, infused with the spirit of unity and sportsmanship, served as a platform for educating the participants, the significance of the electoral process, ensuring that everyone, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and those in remote areas, have access to voting.
Taking the advantage of gathering assembled to witness the Dangal, the SDM Ramnagar spread a powerful message among the voters by appealing to participate in the upcoming election and make Ramnagar constituency no.1 in terms of voter turnout.
