DC Dimapur urges young voters to exercise their franchise

Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Election Officer (DEO), Dimapur, Sachin Jaiswal, said citizens who fail to vote in the forthcoming state assembly election do not have the moral right to complain “which government is good or bad, for the next five years.”

Jaiswal was addressing the students during the integrated communication and outreach programme on SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) held at Pranabananda Women’s College, Dimapur, on Friday.

The outreach programme on SVEEP was organised by Central Bureau of Communication, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Field Office, Kohima, in collaboration with Pranabananda Women’s College.

Underscoring the need for new voters to take a pledge and exercise their franchise, he pointed out that Lhomiti polling station in Dimapur had the lowest turnout of voters (58%) during the last election.

Jaiswal also urged those citizens who could not exercise their franchise last time to come forward and vote this time to fulfill their democratic right; then they will have the right to complain as well.

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“People who fail to vote this election also lose the right to complain for the next five years. So it is a very good opportunity to have an important responsibility. Until we exercise our franchise, we do not have the moral right to say which government is good or bad, because the government we get is the government we deserve,” the DC & DEO said.

He also said the Election Commission of India (ECI) gives citizens ample time to decide and vote the right candidate.  For a free and fair election, a lot depends not only on the administration and election machineries but the voters too, he said.

Jaiswal also pointed out that during every general election, all the state officials become functionaries of the ECI.

“Where election is concerned and the model code of conduct is announced, whatever directions come from the ECI, we are here to ensure that every voter exercise election his or her franchise in a free and fair manner,” he said.

Giving an update on seizures made so far in Dimapur, the DC further disclosed that cash, IMFL and drugs worth more than INR 6 crore have been seized since the imposition of model code of conduct in the state.

Earlier, principal of PWC, Santosh Kumar, delivered the welcome address.