Voters Should Rise Above Narrowmindedness, Allurements: President Murmu

Voters should have the resolve to rise above narrowmindedness, discrimination and inducements while exercising their franchise, besides having faith in democracy, President Droupadi Murmu said on Saturday.

Enlightened voters make democracy stronger, she asserted while addressing a 15th National Voters' Day event in the national capital.

Delivering her address in the presence of Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, and representatives of political parties, she lauded the poll panel for using new technologies and the latest software to improve and make more transparent the poll process.

The President said she was confident that Indian democracy would continue to set examples for the global community.

"Besides having faith in democracy, voters should have firm resolve that they will rise above narrowmindedness, discrimination and inducements while exercising their franchise ... Enlightened voters make democracy stronger," she asserted.

An impressive glimpse of India's inclusive democracy is visible in elections. The increasing participation of women is an important sign of the overall development of society and the country, the President said.

She ​​noted that the Election Commission (EC) made special efforts to facilitate the voting process for citizens aged 85 and above, differently-abled voters and the tribal electorate living in remote areas.

In his address, Meghwal pointed out that seeking to make the EC impartial and transparent, a law was passed on the appointment and service conditions of the chief election commissioner and the election commissioners.

He recalled that the first law to be passed in the new Parliament building was on 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

He said another reform pushed by the Narendra Modi government was the Bill on simultaneous polls. The EC first dealt with the issue as far back as 1983 in its first annual report.

The Bill is now before a joint committee of the two Houses for greater examination.

Meghwal expressed confidence that simultaneous polls would usher in good governance.

On the occasion, President Murmu presented the Best Electoral Practices Awards to state and district officials who demonstrated exemplary performance in ensuring the smooth conduct of elections. She also received the first copy of "India Votes 2024: A ​​Saga of​ ​Democracy".

National Voters' Day is being celebrated for the past 15 years to mark the inception of the Election Commission on January 25, 1950, a day before India became a republic. 

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