Pune’s Industrial Establishments to be Acknowledged for Worker Voter Turnout: Chief Electoral Officer
Sumit Singh & Tikam Shekhawat
Pune, 23rd February 2024: Shrikant Deshpande, the Additional Chief Secretary and Chief Electoral Officer of the Maharashtra state, affirmed the crucial role of industrial establishments in boosting voter turnout in urban areas, announcing that those with commendable voter participation would be honored with awards.
Addressing representatives of various industrial establishments at the Collectorate, Deshpande stressed the importance of collaboration between electoral authorities and industries. The discussion saw the presence of Deputy District Election Officer Meenal Kalaskar, SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) Coordinating Officer, and Deputy Collector Archana Tambe, along with Regional Officers from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, including Sachin Barwakar and Archana Pathare.
Deshpande outlined ongoing initiatives, including activities in schools and colleges, aimed at bolstering voting rates in urban areas. He urged industrial establishments to actively engage and motivate workers to exercise their voting rights. Informing workers about voter registration, updating details in the voter list, and facilitating necessary changes, such as name deletions, are essential steps that should be taken.
Additionally, Deshpande emphasized the significance of strategic planning within industrial establishments to enhance overall voter turnout. Drawing on experiences from previous Lok Sabha elections, he highlighted the flexibility to make necessary adjustments during upcoming assembly elections. Deshpande underscored the importance of providing information about polls conducted post-elections, based on which awards would be conferred upon industrial establishments showing exemplary efforts.
Representatives present at the discussion pledged their cooperation with the election administration to elevate voter turnout. They also offered valuable suggestions to further enhance voter engagement within industrial communities. The collective commitment aims to strengthen the democratic process by encouraging active participation and awareness among workers in industrial establishments.
