Navi Mumbai: To ensure that each and every citizen casts their vote for the Assembly Election, a team of officials associated with the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation Program (SVEEP) as well as officials from Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) are jointly conducting awareness drives.

Officials are interacting with individuals at public gardens, markets, women's organisations etc to explain about the importance of casting each one’s vote for the elections.

SVEEP is a flagship program of Election commission India to impart knowledge about voting amongst citizens. A schedule has been chalked out by the authorities to create mass awareness about the vidhan sabha election among residents.

In Navi Mumbai voting is to be held on November 20.

“Numerous activities are chalked out so that there is maximum participation by eligible voters for the election. The team from SVEEP as well as civic officials are visiting public gardens to interact with senior citizens as well as the youth who are likely to cast their vote for the first time. Besides appealing to vote, through the visit, citizens are explained about the power of vote and its importance for democracy,” said an official.

Accordingly, meetings were held at Chincholi Udyan at Sector 25 of Juinagar. Businessmen and customers shopping at market area of sector 8 of Nerul were informed about the election. Women running social organisations at sector 1 of Shirwane, too were explained about the importance of voting for democracy.

“Every possible means is being used to create as much awareness as possible. Both private and municipal schools are asked to have events that will disseminate the importance of voting among students and they in turn will pass on the message to their parents and friends,” adds the official.

Vashi based Father Agnel’s school and NMMC school number 102 organised a painting competition on the theme of Voting awareness. NMMC school number 112 held elocution competitions and even conducted rangoli, street drama and rally highlighting election.

To instil a sense of responsibility towards voting, officials at Koparkhairane and Belapur ward office took a collective oath of casting their vote along with the citizens present which included traffic personnels as well.