NEW DELHI: Noting that voting is not merely a political expression, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said it embodies citizens’ faith in the democratic process and gives tangible shape to the Constitution’s ideals of equality and justice.
Addressing the National Voters’ Day celebrations, which mark the establishment of the Election Commission of India in 1950, the President also underlined that the right to vote is not only a hard-won entitlement, but also a responsibility that must be actively exercised by every eligible citizen.
President Murmu noted that while universal adult suffrage is a cornerstone of Indian democracy, its true strength lies in informed and conscientious participation by citizens of the country.
She urged citizens to cast their votes with a sense of constitutional duty, guided by reason and conscience rather than by “temptation, ignorance, misinformation, propaganda, or prejudice.”
Such mindful participation, she said, would further strengthen India’s electoral system and deepen democratic values.
Highlighting the scale and spirit of Indian democracy, the President observed that its robustness is reflected not only in numbers with over 95 crore voters, but also in the depth of democratic commitment among its people.
Voting, she said, allows citizens to articulate their aspirations and expectations from governance. "The guarantee of equal voting rights to all adults, without discrimination, stands as a concrete expression of the Constitution’s promise of political and social justice and equality," she said.
She also referred to the foundational principle of “One Person, One Vote,” describing it as a testament to the Constitution-makers’ unwavering faith in the wisdom of ordinary citizens.
Over the decades, Indian voters have validated this faith, enabling the country’s democracy to earn global respect as an extraordinary and enduring experiment in popular participation.
Meanwhile, in a message on the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a letter to MY-Bharat volunteers, stressed that being a voter is not just a constitutional privilege but a vital civic duty.
Describing voters as the “bhagya vidhata,” who shape the nation’s destiny, the PM called upon young citizens, especially first-time voters, to recognise the significance of their role.
Welcoming new voters into the democratic fold, he said, they possess the power to influence and transform India’s development journey.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, on his part, reiterated that a clean and accurate electoral roll is the backbone of a strong democracy.
He explained that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) aims to ensure that every eligible citizen aged 18 and above is included, while preventing ineligible entries, thereby upholding the integrity of the electoral process.