India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, flagged off a cyclothon and walkathon on Wednesday as part of a voter awareness campaign. The events took place at Cable Bridge, Durgam Cheruvu, and saw the participation of hundreds of people.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Telangana organized the events in collaboration with Hyderabad Cycling Revolution. The objective was to address urban apathy towards voting and to inspire young people about the electoral process.
The voter awareness campaign will continue until October 10. The seven-day long ride aims to create awareness among the people in various cities of Telangana about voting. The cyclists will cover cities including Jangaon, Warangal, Siddipet, Karimnagar, Nirmal, Nizamabad, and Kamareddy.
During their three-day visit to Telangana, the CEC and EC, along with other officials of the ECI, are reviewing poll preparedness for the forthcoming Assembly elections. On the first day of their visit, they held a meeting with national and state recognized political parties. They also met with enforcement agencies to discuss matters related to the upcoming elections, including measures to prevent the influence of money, liquor, and other allurements on voters.
The ECI team is holding meetings with district election officers, collectors, and superintendents of police to review district-level preparedness. They will also visit an exhibition on Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities, where they will interact with state icons, Persons with Disabilities (PwD) voters, and young voters to promote awareness and participation in the democratic process. Finally, they will have a crucial meeting with the Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police to discuss poll preparedness.
