Youngsters keep off voter list

Hyderabad Jan. 3: Young people of the state seem to have no interest in voting if one goes by the Election Commission statistics. Though there are more than 36 lakh eligible voters in the 18 to 20 age group, only 7.2 lakh voters have enrolled their names in the voters’ list. Officials say that this disappointing trend may also be because of the difficulties involved in enrolment. “Students who are just turning 18 may not be well versed at filling the form,” said the chief electoral officer, Mr I.V. Subba Rao. “Attaching photographs and submitting the form at a specific place also requires time.” To ensure more enrolment of the youth, the EC is taking out a special drive from January 19 to 24.

As part of this, EC officials will go to colleges and fill up the forms for the students, get their photographs and endorse them by the principal. “This also ends the problem of identification and authentication,” said Mr Subba Rao. “As far as students are concerned, authentication by the principal is enough.” The CEO added that the EC would hold a video conference on January 6 in which principals of engineering and degree colleges and university vice-chancellors would participate. The EC aims to enrol an additional 20 lakh voters through the special drive.

The campaign by Chi-ranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam, the Telugu Desam and the BJP urging the youth to enrol does not seem to have inspired them much. Chiranjeevi and Allu Aravind even launched a drive to enrol his fans who are in the 18-25 years age group and met EC officials for extending the last date. “None of it worked and more than 70 per cent of youth still stay away from enrolment,” said a senior EC official.

The EC has decided to push continuous enrolment by establishing centres to issue permanent voter identity card in all 11,000 mandal headquarters. The EC will introduce voter enrolment at post offices in 25 towns including all district headquarters, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry. This facility is currently available only in the twin cities.