NAWANSHAHR: Taking a leap ahead in awareness activities under Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation Programme (SVEEP), district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar has taken path breaking initiative for roping in transgender voters by designating one of them Preeti Mahant as District ICON.
Divulging the details after flagging off an awareness march of transgender voters here, today, Additional deputy commissioner cum Nodal officer SVEEP, Mrs. Anupam Kler said that as per guidelines of ECI, we are trying to capture the those people who have been ignored inspite of their contribution to the democracy.
To make them feel importance of exercising their voting rights, we have designed a number of activities under SVEEP to make the people aware of their voting rights. “We have nominated district ICON from transgender fraternity to bring them into main stream of the society for strengthening democracy”, she said while adding that as many as 17 transgender voters had been identified so far and the awareness march taken out today, was a part of the SVEEP activities to promote them for voting. “Similarly, we are going to organize sports event for persons with disability, tomorrow, with events like wheel chair race of males and females, lemon race, Brail Reading competition and a skit especially prepared for these people at ITI Ground Nawanshahr.”, she added.
Kler further said the main aim is to sensitise the voters by different ways and activities. Today, these voters were called at meeting hall and they were apprised of the functioning of EVMs and VVPAT. After that they were taken to Sewa Kendra for signing a pledge to vote.
An awareness march was taken out with participation of these transgender voters and students of local ITI that ended at Barandari Garden Nawanshahr.