Electoral Literacy Club
Contributed by
Nodal Teachers-in-Charge:
Mr. B. Khyriem & Miss. V. Sumer
The Electoral Literacy Club is one of the newest clubs to be introduced in Synod Higher Secondary, and its members is limited to the students of Classes IX to XII. Its aim is to prepare the young and future voters of the country by educating them about electoral processes, voting rights and the importance of democracy.
The Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation division of the Election Commission of India felt the need to launchthis new initiative with an objective to create awareness among the people of different sections of society regarding issues of electoral processes. These ELCs are meant to enlighten people through hands on experience, participation, and the role of the election machinery such as registration of voters etc. for the conduct of elections in the state.
The Electoral Literacy Club or ELC programme was officially launched on National Voter’s Day 2018. It is being implemented in all parts of the countryand is systematically being divided into the following patterns:
- ELC Future Voters: For classes IX – XII (Secondary and Senior Secondary Level)
- ELC New Voters: Colleges, Universities, and all other educational institutions including professional and technical educational institutions.
- ChaunavPaatshala: ELC in communities for the youth who are not a part of the formal education system.
- Voter Awareness Forums: In Government Departments, Organisations, Autonomous Bodies, Semi-government, Non-government and the Private Sector.
Objectives:
- To educate the targeted populations about voter registration, entire electoral process and related matters by engaging them through well-designed attractive resources in hands on experience.
- EVM and VVPAT familiarization and education about robustness and non-tamperability of EVM and integrity of the electoral process using EVMs.
- Capacity building for generating/locating information on what, when, where and how of the elections and electoral processes right from a young age of about 14 years.
- To help target audience understand the value of their vote and exercise their suffrage right in a confident, comfortable and ethical manner.
- To facilitate the target audience to understand the constitutional, legislative and legal provisions besides the technological innovation and integration in elections and nature and role of the Election Commission, Courts, Media and other stakeholders.
- To harness the potential of ELCmembers for carrying the electoral literacy in communities.
- ELCs will facilitate voter registration for its members as they achieve the age of 18.
Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, Frederick. R. Kharkongor remarks that the task of the ELC is to ensure democracy grows and flourishes, and that young people should have the right reason to vote and a “belief in the ballot and not to doubt the ballot”. As such, the ELC in this school shall also strive to familiarise and prepare the students to be well-informed of their voting rights and duties.
With the introduction of such clubs, it is hoped that students will be able to think practically and to be conscious of their choices when they vote for a particular candidate.
