voter awareness initiatives Vikas Raj inks pact with railway, postal and petroleum officials

With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, Vikas Raj,  the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)  of Telangana, on Wednesday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with representatives of Railway, Postal, and Petroleum sectors to improve voter awareness in the State and help enhance voter turnout on poll day.
These MoUs aim to bolster the democratic process by promoting voter education programmes and initiatives, leveraging the extensive infrastructure of these ministries to enhance inclusivity, information dissemination and participation in the electoral process. Subsequently, Vikas Raj delineated the terms and conditions of the MoUs, underscoring the pivotal role of officials in spearheading voter awareness activities.
Dr PVS Reddy, Chief Postmaster General, Telangana State, highlighted the ongoing voter awareness endeavours within the postal department, including digital outreach, special stamp creation and employee sensitisation. Representatives from the petroleum sector – HPCL, BPCL, and IOCL – elucidated their efforts in disseminating voter awareness messages through hoardings across major petrol bunks.
P Bhasker Reddy, Dy. Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, outlined the railway department’s initiatives, focusing on digital displays and railway announcements.
Addressing logistical challenges, the Chief Electoral Officer emphasised the exploration of avenues for expanding awareness activities, including discussions on pro-bono hoarding space provision as directed by ECI. The collaborative spirit and commitment showcased in the meeting reflect a shared dedication to fostering informed and participatory democratic processes.
The session commenced with Bhavani Shanker, Consultant (SVEEP), delivering the opening remarks, followed by a welcome from Sarfaraz Ahmad, Joint CEO, who emphasised the significance of collaboration and the execution of MoUs.