India celebrated its ninth National Voters' Day on January 25 to mark the day when the Election Commission of India (ECI) was established in 1950. This was initiated in 2011 by former President Pratibha Patil under the leadership of then Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi on the 61st foundation day of EC.
The Election Commission is responsible for administering election processes in the country. It aims to increase the participation of the number of voters and to encourage the newly eligible voters.
Voter's day celebrations
The National Voters' Day was celebrated at more than six locations covering around 10 lakh polling booths. This year, the theme of the day was 'no voter to be left behind' to focus on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The first-time voters of the respective areas were invited to collect their Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).
President Ramnath Kovind was the chief guest at the celebrations organised by the EC in Delhi at Manekshaw Centre. A quarterly magazine named 'My Vote Matters' was also launched at the event and the first copy was offered to the President.
Watch LIVE?#PresidentKovind presents the #NationalAwards at 9th National level function of #NationalVotersDayhttps://t.co/IaAtMSd1qr
— PIB India (@PIB_India) January 25, 2019
Awards were also conferred for the best electoral practices and officers for their exceptional performance in conducting the elections.
Why you must vote
India being a democratic country chooses its leader by casting votes. Whichever candidate with a majority of votes is elected as the leader for the next five consecutive years.
As an Indian it is the responsibility of every citizen to ensure their vote, to understand and question the functioning of the government.
Voting is every Indians chance to stand up for the issues we face in our lives, to build the economy, to create a better future for the coming generation, to have a better understanding of our constitutional rights.
As a taxpayer, every citizen of the country should know where their money is going and how it is used. By casting the vote we are selecting a representative who will speak for us.
Voting is a way to make sure that our voice is being heard, so make the best of it.
Choose your vote and cast your vote for a better India.