Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the Election Commission of India has taken a strong and proactive initiative to transform the traditional Electoral Literacy Club into a robust platform for voter awareness and electoral education. Addressing a conference on Electoral Literacy Clubs and the ECINET App in Lucknow, Shri Kumar emphasised the importance of engaging young citizens in the electoral process. He said that building their trust and ensuring their informed participation in elections is an investment in the future of democracy.
The Chief Election Commissioner said that through an extensive institutional network, ELC 2.0 aims to promote factual and experiential electoral education, enhance awareness about the transparency, integrity and credibility of India’s electoral system, and encourage young citizens to become ambassadors of informed democratic participation. He said that interactions with principals, teachers and students from 20 districts had reaffirmed that students possess a sound understanding of the electoral process, its transparency, and take pride in participating in democracy.
Shri Kumar said that the ELCs would also serve as platforms for disseminating information about different stages of the electoral process, including electoral registration, polling and counting, as well as the ECINET App and other key initiatives of the Election Commission of India. During the conference, the Chief Election Commissioner visited an exhibition and interacted with participants. He urged the country’s youth to become proactive participants in the world’s largest democracy. The interactive session helped students understand the electoral journey, from registration to polling and the counting of votes, through practical demonstrations.
Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar visited his alma mater, Colvin Taluqdars’ College in Lucknow, where he interacted with students on India’s democratic system, the electoral process, the reliability of EVMs and the importance of young voters. Responding to questions about EVMs, the CEC said that the machines used in India are manufactured by public-sector companies and are not connected to the internet or any wireless technology. He advised students to verify the source and authenticity of information before accepting or sharing it, particularly in the present social media environment.CEC is on a two-day visit to Lucknow.
