best electoral practices awards 2014 systematic voter education & electoral participation “the...
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Best Electoral Practices Awards 2014
Systematic Voter Education & Electoral Participation
“The Green Carpet Initiative – Celebrating Democracy with Dignity”
Presented By
Vikas Singh Narwal (I.A.S.)
District Election Officer, Nimach (M.P.)
NIMACH DISTRICT
General Information:
• No. of Constituencies - 03• Total Population - 847572 • Total Electors - 536388• EP Ratio - 63.28• Gender Ratio - 936• PER & EPIC Coverage - 100%• Polling Stations - 644+1• Critical Polling Stations - 67
The Green Carpet Concept :
“ It is all about creating sustainable & institutionalized mechanisms for end to end facilitation of various actors involved in the electoral process so that their dignity is ensured while getting desirable outcome at the same time. ”
The Green Carpet Initiative
Background:
• ECI’s focus on SVEEP (Systematic Voter Education & Electoral Participation)
• Low Voter Turnout History in Nimach
• Ethical Voting Concerns
• The Dignity Challenge
Motivation :
“ The ceaseless efforts taken up by ECI to penetrate SVEEP activities to the ground level and make elections a true democratic celebration has been a constant & continuous source of motivation to take up this initative. ”
Focus Areas:
• Reaching out to every voter to understand his needs and issues
• Creating Voter Friendly Environment at every polling station
• Preparing strategy for maximum voter turn out
• Ensuring human dignity for every stake holder at every stage
Strategies Adopted:
• Model Polling Stations
• Queue Less Management
• Swift Polling Parties
• Vote with Dignity
• End to End Voter Facilitation
• Standardization of Poll Activities
• Cost Effective Solutions
Model Polling Stations:
• Total 70 MPS established with aim to achieve maximum voter turnout
• Developing polling stations as a centre of attraction
• Ensuring dignity of voters & polling staff• Exposure visits of voters in MPS for
spreading awareness
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Queue Less Management :
• Adoption of Token System for Queue less Voting
• Sitting arrangements for comfortable waiting
• Cyclic distribution of tokens
• Feedback mechanism for service evaluation
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Swift Polling Parties :
• Constitution of Swift Polling Parties for Rapid Poll Casting
• Target based approach – 100 votes / hour• Strict enforcement of protocols• Appreciation of Polling Parties for meeting
their targets• Repeated mock drills of polling parties for
error free operation
Vote with dignity :• Appointment of motivators in every
polling station for ground level work
• Penetration of SVEEP activities at the doorstep of voter
• Every Vote counts campaign – taking choice from voter itself
• Ensuring dignity while voting – giving voter green carpet welcome
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
End to End Voter Facilitation :
• Total 80 Voter Facilitation Centres established
• Familiarisation with voter welfare measures
• Familiarisation with polling party welfare measures
• Ethical Voting – understanding secrecy of vote
Standardization of poll activities:
• Do’s & Don’ts for various stakeholders – imparting effective training
• Preparation of ASD list
• Thorough Deduplication Exercise –
- with in Constituency
- with in district
- w.r.t bordering districts of M.P.&
Rajasthan
Cost Effective Solutions:
• Use of token system
• Rational use of government buildings & infrastructure
• Cost effective Webcasting & Video Conferencing
• Arranging local logistics
Plan of an Ideal Polling Station :
Main Polling Station Waiting Area
PO
Exit Entry
P3P2P1VC
T1
T2
Toilet (Gents)
Toilet (Ladies)
DW
Outcome:• 19.47 % increase in voter turnout over
2009 General Elections
Outcome:• 20.55 % increase in voter turnout in Model
Polling Stations over 2009 Elections
Outcome:• Uniform effect on all Assembly Constituencies
Outcome:• Uniform effect on most of the Polling Stations
Outcome :
• A total of 101 Polling Parties turned out to be Swift Polling Parties.
• A total of 99 Motivators achieved more than 80 % voting on their assigned Polling Station.
• Institutionalization of Ideal Polling Stations
• Institutionalization of Voter Facilitation Centers
Critique :
• Gender Gap Issues need to be tackled more effectively
• Proper rationalisation of polling stations needed
• Making voters familiarised with Electoral Roll is a challenge
• Voter facilitation is a continuous phenomenon which needs constant evaluation
The Way Forward :
• Rationalisation of polling station at section level
• Making every polling station an ideal polling station
• More focus on women participation
• Effective micro planning to reach each & every voter
Conclusion:
“ Voter Education and Voter Facilitation are two key factors that decide Electoral Participation and if these two are tackled in systematic, scientific & sustainable manner then the uniformity in electoral behavior can be certainly predicted.”
Thank You
“May God Bless Us All”