Meghalaya will go to polls on April 19 in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. While political parties are busy campaigning for their candidates in the elections, the Election Commission is also making various efforts to motivate voters to exercise franchise.

Situated in the lap of the Himalayan mountain Sub-Ranges, the state of Meghalaya is one of the North-Eastern states of India which is mainly divided into three hilly regions. Among the major tribal groups of Meghalaya, the Khasi tribe inhabits the Khasi Hills region, while the Garo and Jaintia Hills in the Garo Hills region are predominantly inhabited by the Jaintia tribe. The message of exercising one’s right to vote has always been a thorny one among these ethnic communities, who are very diverse in dress, food, language and culture. The Election Commission has made short films in Khasi, Garo and Jaintia languages to tackle the challenge. The actors of these films are giving the message of voting to the people in an entertaining manner by delivering dialogues in the local dialect.

Apart from this, the message of exercising franchise is also being given to the youth by organizing friendly matches of the popular football game in Meghalaya. Technical sessions are being organised in various schools and colleges to teach students how to use Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) with VVPAT.