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Patna, Oct 27 (IANS) On the third day of Chhath festival, the Election Commission of India (ECI) adopted a unique approach to increase voter awareness and encourage higher participation in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
As thousands of devotees gathered at various Chhath ghats across the state to offer arghya to the setting sun, a steamer on the river Ganga in Patna attracted attention with banners and slogans promoting voter participation.
Displaying the message “Bihar will vote, Bihar will choose its government”, the steamer is being run to remind the devotees of their democratic duty.
The ECI is urging people to come out of their homes and cast their votes on November 6 and November 11, when voting will be held in two phases.
The counting of votes is to take place on November 14 and the entire election process will end on November 16.
Officials hoped that the voting percentage would increase this time, as many residents have returned home for the Chhath festival and are expected to vote before leaving.
To reach out to more citizens, the Election Commission is using multiple methods to emphasize the importance of voting – from banners and posters to songs and celebrity appeals.
ECI released a special Chhath song featuring messages from state sweep icons and actors Pankaj Jha, Neetu Chandra and Kranti Prakash Jha, encouraging people to participate in the democratic process.
Pankaj Jha, known for his role as MLA in the popular web series Panchayat, hails from Saharsa district, while Chandan Rai, who plays the role of Panchayat assistant, hails from Vaishali district.
The duo have been named as state sweep icons for the upcoming elections with the approval of the Election Commission of India.
With the election campaign in full swing – and both the NDA and the Grand Alliance actively campaigning – ECI’s creative outreach during Chhath is aimed at ensuring that every eligible voter contributes to strengthening democracy.
–IANS
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