January 25, celebrated as the National Voters' Day (NVD) witnesses focused festivities at 700000 locations all over the nation reverberating with the celebration of democracy and cores of Indians rejoicing their right to vote. NVD aims at increasing enrolment f voters, especially newly eligible young voters (18-19 years old) and ensure universal adult franchise for all, celebrated with gusto since 2011 on January 25, the foundation day of Election Commission of India ( January 25, 1950)

This year marks the 8th National Voter's Day with theme 'Accessible Elections'.

Awards for Excellence, Proficiency and Innovation in election processes and procedures are being conferred on the occasion of National Voters' Day. These Awards recognize contribution by election machinery, government department/agency/PSU/CSO and media in the year 2017.

While State Awards are being presented in the NVD functions at State Headquarters, the National Awards are being presented at the national function in Delhi.

BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARDS 2017

for ELECTION MANAGEMENT:

General

Initiatives:

• Polling Station Rationalization & 100 % AMF
• Prepare to vote – 39 Lakh Bulk SMS Sent to citizens.
• 45 camps organized for industrial employees, Migrant labours and Unorganized labours, 102 Transgenders were registered compared to Zero in 2012, 12 Special Camps for Senior Citizen and families of service personnel
• Use of IT applications like Suvidha, Samadhan, Sugam, ETPBS

OutComes:

• 52,75,062 electors added, 1.5 lakh Sankalp Patra received. Gender Ratio of the roll substantially increased from 902 to 910.
   

Special

Nila Mohanan, DEO, North Goa

Initiatives:

• Identified Polling Stations declared as a Divyang Polling Station managed entirely by differently abled staff, including the Presiding Officer.
• 19 Pink Polling Stations were established
• Developed a Unique SMS based training module for polling officials

OutComes:

• Voter Turnout for the Divyang Polling station recorded at 79.54%. High female voter turnout at pink polling stations

for VOTER EDUCATION & ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

General

P. Bharathi, DEO, Vadodara, Gujarat

Initiatives:

• Reached out to voters through innovative inter-personal approach in rural areas (BAGs and Door to Door Campaign) and through social and mass media in urban areas
• Special Camps organized to enroll migratory laborers at Industrial Pockets.
• Special Camps at Demolition and Rehabilitation sites
• Extensive awareness drive on EVM and VVPAT (8.5 lakhs VVPAT information slips have been distributed)
• Reached out to 2.50 lakhs students of Urban and Rural area under ISEP
• 402 schools of district took part in the quiz competition.

Outcome:

• Increase in voter turnout in all the constituencies, voting percentage of third gender increased to 61.36% in 2017 from 28.57% in 2012.
   

Special

Ranjana, DEO, RudraPrayag, Uttarakhand

Initiatives:

• Teams formed involving Anganwadi workers, teachers and ASHAs along with Mahila Mangal Dals to promote women participation and interventions rolled out for women.
• Initiatives like 'MandakinikiAwaz', a local community radio channel used to spread the message of SVEEP in the remote villages and "Coffee at Campus" in educational institutes.
• Facilitation measures like Divyang Doli for voters with disabilities who could not walk to the polling station.
• Outreach to service voters to promote their participation; Special interaction with villages that had boycotted last elections and those recording less than 10 percent voting were visited by the DEO

Outcome:

• Women voting percentage jumped 9 % from Loksabha 2014 figures and 4915 Service votes received out of a total 5430 issued forms. Villages boycotting elections participated.

Ritu Suhas, DDC Rajnandgaon, Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh

Initiatives:

• Booth Dost –Developed a free, offline app to reach out to the PWDs.
• A mock poll session with around 300 PWDs facing 6 types of Disabilities invited for one to one experience with the EVM Machine and a booth.
• PWDs organized a Rose Marathon to promote voter awareness for PWDs.
• Booth Rath - The achiever PWDs in all 22 blocks of the district made to promote Voter awareness.

Outcome:

• Out of 30,583 PWDs mapped in the district, 21,479 actually voted (around 70%).

for IT INITIATIVES

General

Ravi Bhagat, DEO, Ludhiana, Punjab

Initiatives:

• Developed ECI 360 MOBILE app to facilitate voters, election managers and other stakeholders by providing information regarding candidates, polling stations, voter education, and result trends.
• Use of RO Network to Enable Returning Officers to effectively supervise Electoral Process
• India Book of Records- Human Chain for Voter Awareness, Most voters displaying their ID Cards

Outcome:

• The success of the app was acknowledged and later the same was emulated in other elections and adopted by ECI
   

Special

Vipul Ujwal, DEO, SBS Nagar, Punjab

Initiatives:

• IT innovation and developing of app to facilitate voters and election managers.
• Extensive use of Social to reach out to voters and other stakeholders with important information and alerts for maximizing outreach.

Outcome:

• Highest 18-19 Young Voter Registration in State, Highest Female /Male Voter turnout ratio in State, Overall 92% with one assembly segment with more than 96% PWD voting.

for SECURITY MANAGEMENT :

General

Kabib K, SP, Imphal East District, Manipur

Initiatives:

• Extensive training imparted on MCC, FS, SST and, Vulnerability mapping exercise carried out meticulously.
• Comprehensive measures taken including setting up of static Check-posts, border sealing and other interventions to ensure peaceful polls
• Confidence Building Measures - Visits by SP and other officers to vulnerable polling stations and voters areas.

Outcome:

• Overall Law and Order situation remained peaceful during elections.
    

Special

Vivek Gogia, IGP, Goa

Initiatives:

• Comprehensive strategy planned for security of polling personnel and contesting candidates.
• Comprehensive measures taken up to ensure smooth and peaceful elections including deployment of security personnel with micro detailing
• Deployment of DFMD at casinos to restrict their usage as cash distribution.

Outcome:

• Overall Law and Order situation remained peaceful during elections.   

for ELECTORAL ROLL MANAGEMENT :

General

Antara Acharya, DEO, North 24 Parganas

Initiatives:

• Host District Strategy-Interaction with eligible voters, their sensitization and awareness generation about the De novo exercise.
• Recipient District Strategy - Timely disposal of all forms received by EROs and providing necessary information.
• G (General voter)+S (Service Voter)=T (Total Voter) approach: Check and ensure 100% inclusion of all probable electors into Electoral Roll, facilitating their inclusion as either Service Elector or General Elector at current place of posting (as per choice of elector).
• Sensitization Programmes for BSF officials posted at BOPs under BasirhatSub-Division, North 24 Parganas, BSF Sector HQ at Alambazar(Kolkata), CISF Unit, NSCBI Airport, Dum Dum

Outcome:

• Celebration of NVD with Service Personnel.4991 service personnel enrolled during registration.   
   

Special

Paresh Fal Dessai, SDM & ERO South Goa

Initiatives:

• Strategic planning at ERO level, the areas to be concentrated for enrolment
• Involvement of social worker in the enrolment of Wanarmare Nomadic Tribe Community, resolved clashes in the community and Meeting with tribe leader and electors for awareness on ethical voting.
• Provided adequate security to the claimant at the time of enrolment, after enrolment and on poll day

Outcome:

• 40 persons from Wanarmare community voted for first time after liberation of Goa   

Om Prakash Bunkar, ERO, Udaipur (Special Category)

Initiatives:

• Planned activities were taken up for updating and improving electoral roll in preparation for upcoming election in the State in 2018. Special camps were held after identifying gaps at polling station level.

Outcome:

• Improved EP ratio and gender ratio in the electoral roll for Udaipur with enhancedregistration of young voters in 18-19 years age groupduring the Summary Revision drive in the State in 2017   

for INNOVATIVE MEASURES :

General

Kaushal Raj Sharma, DEO, Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

Initiatives:

• Special focus on wholistic involvement of Divyang voters
• Door to door survey of Divyang people in city, 26,043 Divyang voters identified
• Departments and NSS, NCC, NYK, Civil defence called to depute their employees or volunteers as DivyangAssistants,Training of Divyang Assistants
• Divyang welfare NGOs, Associations, Civil defence were roped in to help BLOs
• A separate Divyangvoters control room

Outcome:

• Voting percentage of Disabled Voters recorded at 80.78 %   
   

Special

Lalit Narayan Singh Sandhu, Assistant Collector, Vansda, Gujarat

Initiatives:

• Navsari Polling Booths App - An application for voters and Election officials to navigate the route of the polling stations.
• Programs to involve Satipati Voters.

Outcome:

• 128 Satipati Believers Enrolled,55 of them voted.  

Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Punjab

Initiatives:

• Developed the specialized support system application 'SECURITYNET' for getting time bound online information on security arrangements, its follow-up and updates for making timely and intelligent decisions on critical security matters during the State Assembly Election 2017.

Outcome:

• Response time for security related issues became shorter and it became easier to follow up on action taken   

Amrit Tripathi, DEO Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh

Initiatives:

• A digital booth level data app was used for daily monitoring of voter roll revision at booth level
• SVEEP Paragons – Young Volunteers sent to different constituencies of the district with lower voter turnout to spread Voter Awareness.
• 'Vote Ki Mehndi' introduced to augment female voters
• DivyangJyoti - Software developed to increase the participation of PWD Voters and to facilitate them during the Poll Day
• Use of Solar lights as Assured measure for round the clock electricity supply in cent percent booths
• District Election Mobile App (Android) was circulated to all the Districts by CEO Uttar Pradesh with the name Booth-Level-Diary.

Outcome:

• Total Voter percentage increased by 2.69 %, EP Ratio by 0.55 % and gender ratio by 1.16 %. Total PWD voter percentage recorded at 78.6%.   

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR ELECTORAL ROLL MANAGEMENT

Ms. Radha Raturi, CEO Uttarakhand

(Dr. Shanamugam, Addl. CEO, Uttarakhand received the award on behalf of MsRadhaRaturi, CEO Uttarakhand)

Initiatives:

• An event organized with a lot of voter awareness based culture programme, activities ,Contest, Fest, Photo Gallery ,facilitation camp etc. with fusion of democracy for inspiring young & future voters.
• Inauguration of Uttarakhand Voter Fest By Hon'ble the then CEC, Voter 's Pledge campaign and Voter Exhibition Gallery
• Folk Dances, Puppet Show Motivational speech by State Icons, On the spot Painting competition, Motivation by Divyang, slogan and drawing contest.
• Handicraft & Souvenir Items Exhibition by Self Help Groups
• Organized Pubic Facilitation camps forAadhar, Brail Voting & Voting Registration

Outcome:

• Resulted in free and fair elections.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR VOTER EDUCATION AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

Pushpendra Rajput, CEO Himachal Pradesh

Initiatives:

• Targeted intervention for youth participation; Youth Voter Festival organized and campus ambassadors strengthened in schools/ colleges to tackle urban apathy; collaboration with Department of Labor to reach out to youth working in industrial area
• Focused intervention for women participation; Established "MahilaPreraks" for informing, motivating and facilitating the women exclusively, Inclusion of Substantial number of women in BAGs; Production and display of women specific audio-visual documentary to spread electoral awareness
• Facilitation for inclusion; Special Modules developed for PWDs; Special outreach program for targeting nomadic groups living in Chamba, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Sipti Districts; Special campaigns for senior citizens in old age home and retirees' club

Outcome:

• Resulted in free and fair elections with record voter turnout in the State Assembly Election 2017.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR VOTER EDUCATION AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

V K Dewangan, CEO Manipur

Initiatives:

• Control rooms established for complaint monitoring
• Micro-Observers covered all Critical (837) and Vulnerable (529) Polling stations
• Random sample checking for ensuring error free E Rolls
• Special Focus on Security arrangements in hill districts
• E-Manipur Election Mobile app used for smooth conduct of elections
• Pilot project on Mobile based tracking of polling parties
• Braille Ballots for visually challenged voters
• Facilitation of Disadvantaged Groups : Senior Citizen, Migrant Workers
• Air-ambulance kept for both Phase-I & Phase-II polls.

Outcome:

• EP Ratio increased to 57.3% as compared to 59.5% in 2011 and overall increase in voting percentage. Gender Ratio recorded at 987/1049. 100% EPIC Coverage, 11,981 Service Voters included.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR IT INNOVATIONS

V K Singh, CEO Punjab

Initiatives:

• National record of 6000 voters gathered at one place and displayed EPIC to inspire others
• Implementation of RONET on pilot basis in 3 constituencies
• Expenditure monitoring cell set up
• Extensive social media communication approach to reach out to masses
• A Mobile App designed for single window information one may search, choose, install, open and uninstall all the 25 apps of ECI.
• Comprehensive 'Election Security Network' for all election related processes

Outcome:

• Efficient SMS poll monitoring,More than 80% voters exercised their franchise in districts such as Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot and Sangrur.More than one lakh paramilitary personnel were deployed in the state for smooth conduct of polls.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR SECURITY MANAGEMENT

Sh. T Venkatesh, CEO Uttar Pradesh

(Sh. Anil Garg, Addl. CEO, Uttar Pradesh received the award on behalf Sh. T Venkatesh, CEO, Uttar Pradesh)

Initiatives:

• ERMS Summary Revision Application Mobile Appused to provide booth wise performance information to stakeholders.
• Master Trainer's Training for District Election Management Plan (DEMP) along with Field level Training also conducted on Summary Revision, Google Map Application, EVM Tracking.

Outcome:

• Approx 60 lakh voters enrolled. The ratio of female voters in comparison to the female population which was increased to 60.38% from 58.78% . The gender ratio improved from 827 in draft roll to 839 in final roll.A total addition of 20.57 lakh voters in 18-19 age groups

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR INNOVATION

Sh. Kunal, CEO Goa

Initiatives:

• Advance Calendar of activities & its circulation to all Officials
• Preparing of citizens for Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) usage & Ethical Voting with high participation
• Development of quality Information Education & Communication (IEC) materials in local language & dissemination through digital media
• Enrolment of Marginalised Community Wanarmare Tribe
• VVPAT Demo on Demand launched through toll free no 1950
• A form of chit based gambling known Matka as The DEOs had identified in each constituency one polling station as pink polling station for females.
• Special Focus on registration of mentally challenged persons- emphasis on Unsound Mind certification for non-registration

Outcome:

• Goa went for 100% ETPBS. More than 100 cases booked under Gambling Act through Matka. Goa became first state to use VVPAT in all Assembly Constituencies.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES FOR ELECTION MANAGEMENT

Shri. B B Swain, CEO Gujarat

Initiatives:

• Two distinctive Logos conveying different phases (Enrollment and Elections Phase) were created and widely used in all the campaigns
• Highest number of new Polling stations were created in 2017 Special creatives on EVM/VVPAT awareness with tagline #બટનદબાવીને 'જુઓ' (#बटनदबाके 'देखो')
• 182 'Sakhi' Polling Stations were established in the State, which were managed entirely by women functionaries
• An exceptional number of PwDs, Senior Citizens and Centenarians casted their vote enthusiasm, which was the ultimate achievement for all the efforts put in by Gujarat.
• Awareness drives on NOTA following finding of low awareness in KAP Survey.
• De novo Enrollment of Service voters and ETPBS was carried out successfully.

Outcome:

• The State achieved a Roll EP Ratio (64.64) closest ever to the Census EP Ratio (65.22) with a gap of just 0.58%.No major complaint related to Electoral Roll recorded. Achieved a Roll Gender Ratio of 921 against the Census Gender Ratio of 918 A net addition of 17,46,082 electors in the year 2017 with a net addition of 959,675 women electors. 100% matching of VVPAT slips with EVM votes in 182 polling stations. Successful election management and force deployment efforts led to a peaceful election and a high turnout of 69.04%.

NATIONAL MEDIA AWARD, 2017

National Media Award for For Campaign on Voter Education and Awareness

Hindustan, Uttar Pradesh

Mr. Shashi Shekhar, Editor-in-chief, Hindustan receives the award

Initiatives:

• Took up mediacampaign to carry out various awareness programmes for mass mobilization of voters in the State Assembly Elections Uttar Pradesh 2017

NATIONAL CSO AWARD

CSO Award for outstanding campaign on Voters’ Education and Awareness

Bharat Scouts and Guides, Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Avadh Naresh Sharma, State Chief Commissioner, Bharat Scouts and Guides, Uttar Pradesh receiving the award

Initiatives:

• Voter Awareness Campaign was conducted by Scouts/Guides/Rovers/Rangers helping in making Voter Identity Cards of the persons who wasn't enrolled as well as for new voters.
• "Door to Door campaign" in their respective districts to encourage eligible voters to cast their vote
• "SVEEP BUS" used to spread awareness about the significance of casting vote.

Outcome:

• An increase in voting percentage among youth was noted due to intense campaigning.

NATIONAL AWARD TO GOVT DEPARTMENT/AGENCY

CEO Team, Delhi

Sh. Rajesh Kumar, Addl. CEO, Delhi and Sh. VikashAhlawat, Deputy CEO, Delhi receive the award

Initiatives:

• Developed an e-Learning portal for "Learning on Electoral Awareness & Democracy" for creating electoral awareness and enhancing electoral literacy among the citizens, especially youth Portal provides platform for interactive learning, study, assessment through online multimedia study materials and online test for different categories of users.

Outcome:

• As per January data, 2486 individuals participated and attempted the test in the e-learning module. Good feedback has also been received from participants.