Kalam, Dhoni To Urge Young Voters To Register

[dennis]

Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam along with cricketer M.S. Dhoni will urge the youths in the country to get registered as voters and participate in democracy.

"Messages from youth icons A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and M.S. Dhoni have been recorded asking the voters to be registered," an Election Commission official said.

"Messages from regional icons are also being used to ask the youths to register and vote."

As part of the drive, Kalam will distribute Electors' Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to 20 newly eligible and enrolled voters of Delhi to mark the second National Voters' Day Wednesday, commemorating the foundation day of the Election Commission of India.

Officials said the objective behind National Voters' Day is to increase enrolment of voters, especially newly eligible ones, by using this occasion to make universal adult enrolment a reality.

Election Commission officials said approximately 3.83 crore new registrations have been done throughout the country, of which 1.11 crore are in the age group 18-19 years as on Jan 1, 2012.

Last year, around 52 lakh young voters who had attained the age of 18 years were enrolled, marking the biggest empowerment of youths on a single day anywhere in the world.

Kalam will also give away National Awards to District Electoral Officers (DEOs) and Superintendent Police (SPs) for adopting "Best Electoral Practices" and Special Awards to other officers for doing exemplary work during polls.

[The QUEEN]

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