STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Wake up Jammu–an awareness campaign was held at Heritage School on Friday under the aegis of District Election Office to sensitise and make the students aware of the importance of exercising the right to vote and motivate their parents to vote on 20th December 2014 for the Assembly Elections.
Awareness Observer from Election Commission of India, Pallavi Chinya and Assistant Returning Officer, Gandhi Nagar, Avni Lavasa visited the school and addressed the students as part of the awareness campaign.
Pallavi Chinya told the children to encourage their parents to cast their votes on 20th December, 2014 because exercising the right to vote is one’s duty towards one’ nation.
It is a powerful tool in the hands of the common man to change the destiny of his nation.
Avni Lavasa expressed her gratitude to the Principal Heritage School, Jagadish Singh Dhami, for encouraging and supporting the campaign by organising the event in the school as it would go a long way in training children with right values of citizenship. She also appealed to the children to become instruments of change by encouraging their parents and relatives to exercise their right to vote. She also discussed the issue of low voter turnout in urban areas despite better access to education and other facilities. She also educated the students about the NOTA option available to the voters.
Pallavi Chinya was handed over the ‘Sankalp Patra’ collected from the students.
These ‘Sankalp Patras’ were distributed among the students which they were to get filled by their parents and take a pledge from their parents that they would cast their vote on 20th Dec. 2014, the day when Jammu Division goes for Assembly Elections.
The students were administered the pledge from the election office that they would motivate their families and relatives to cast their vote.
The programme concluded with the address of the Principal who reiterated the importance of right to vote and more importantly to cast one’s vote judiciously. He opined that the young of the today are the stakeholder of tomorrow so they must be aware of the provision of Adult Franchise in the Indian Constitution and its importance in keeping the Indian Democracy healthy and vibrant.
