Shillong, January 14: Hundreds of passers-by stopped to witness the National Youth Day event, a road show by the Chief Electoral officer and District Election Officer in collaboration with Red FM to create awareness on EVM and VVPAT amongst the youths and millenium voters on 12th January 2018, at Police Bazar, Shillong.
This was another campaign activity by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer to call upon young voters and voters in general to exercise their democratic rights to enroll and vote. RedFM RJs held the roadshow by publicly engaging with the floating audience, most of them young people.
The roadshow also witnessed young artistes participating in a Phawar, song and hiphop contest by performing their self-written songs that talked about the EVM and VVPAT. The songs which were a mix of clarity of message, wit and humour – sustained the crowd despite the dropping afternoon temperature. The winners of the contest are Pynshai Lyngdoh in the phawar category, Jose Thongni in the song category and Yaki Myrthong in the hiphop category. The same songs will be aired by RedFM in the coming weeks.
This is one amongst many of the CEO’s SVEEP activities to engage the millenium voters and public in general by communicating the use of EVMs and VVPATs and explaining how the system will add value to the upcoming elections in the state and ensure that the whole electoral process is free, fair and transparent . During the roadshow, there was display and hands on demo of EVM and VVPAT machines for the passers-by to lay their hand on both the machines.
Representative from the DC’s office Mr. I.Z Wreang spoke briefly about the advantage of EVM-VVPAT machine. The roadshow was held on the Mobile Democracy Van which was a van full of information and education materials.The SVEEP song Tarak Tak Tak by Summersalt and various artistes was also played many times to attract the the crowd. Thorugh out the event, there were cross-cutting messages on informed ethical voting.
