BENGALURU: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed concern over urban voters’ apathy towards voting. After launching an Election Hackathon - “ELECTHON 2023” in Bengaluru on Friday, he said a major challenge before the commission is general apathy, mainly among young and urban voters.
“It has become extremely crucial to understand the reasons, perceptions, beliefs, motivations, barriers, challenges, experiences, contexts and the contours that shape their decision to not cast their vote. Can we motivate these non-voters to realise their power, believe in that power and energise them to take the call that their one vote can make a huge difference? It’s a collective effort,” he said.
He said the election day is considered a holiday, rather than celebrating it as the biggest festival of democracy. Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel participated in the VoteFest 2023, organised by the CEO, Karnataka, along with the BBMP to address urban and youth apathy, spread awareness and motivate the youth to cast their vote.
Some elderly voters were felicitated and a few young voters were symbolically presented with new voter ID Cards. Earlier in the day, they met district election officers on pre-election preparations.