National Awards 2018

January 25, celebrated as the National Voters’ Day (NVD) witnesses focused festivities at every polling station location across the country reverberating with the celebration of democracy and cores of Indians rejoicing their right to vote.

NVD aims at increasing enrolment of voters, especially newly eligible young voters (18-19 years old) and ensures universal adult franchise for all, celebrated with gusto since 2011 on January 25, the foundation day of Election Commission of India (January 25, 1950).

After a fruitful year dedicated to ‘Accessible Election’, this year marks the 9th National Voters’ Day with theme ‘No Voter to Be Left Behind’ ahead of Lok Sabha 2019 Election.

Awards for Excellence, Proficiency and Innovation in election processes and procedures are being conferred on National Voters’ Day. These awards recognize contribution by election machinery, Government department/Agency/PSU/CSO and media in the year 2018. 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.

1. BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARD

for

Inclusive Voter Education & Outreach

 to

Ms. Aarti Dogra, DEO Ajmer, Rajasthan

for taking innovative measures in voter education and outreach and ensuring accessibility for all and systematically working towards inclusive election in the district during the State Assembly Election 2018

• BLOs were made responsible for providing assistance to and motivating all the differently abled voters at their booth

• Divyang raths (15 or more vehicles) allotted to each constituency for bringing the PWDs to the booth

• 150 vehicle coordinators appointed for each divyang rath

• Provided 874 wheel chairs with 2 wheel chairs at every Gram panchayat

• 17000 PwD voters came to their respective booths and took ‘Matdan Shapath’ and made a record by the India Book

• Tricolour flag was formed by around 15000 students with special features of formation of Ashoka Chakra by differently abled children, as another record

Outcome: 59.88% voter turnout of PwD voters in the District

2. BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARD

for

Election Management

 to

Shri Vikas  Singh, DEO Dhalai, Tripura

for taking comprehensive steps including use of IT for smooth conduct of elections and facilitating informed participation of people in the district through intensive awareness campaign during the State Assembly Election 2018

3. BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARD

for

Security Management

 to

Shri Mohit  Garg, SP Bijapur, Chhattisgarh

for comprehensive security management to create a conducive climate for conducting free, fair and participative election with particular focus on vulnerable sections in the district during the State Assembly Election 2018

4. BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARD

for

Innovative Measures

 to

Dr Manzir Jeelani, DEO Wokha, Nagaland

for taking innovative steps to facilitate wider participation of people in the district during the State Assembly Election 2018

5. BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES AWARD

for

Voter Education & Outreach

 to

Shri Ashish Saxena, DEO Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh

for innovative measures to educate and reach out to voters and facilitate their participation leading to increased participation of Women in the district during the State Assembly Election 2018

6. SPECIAL AWARD

for

CPF Coordination

presented to

Shri Vijay Kumar, IG CRPF

for coordinating the deployment of Central Police Forces for providing safe and secure environment for smooth conduct of elections in the nine States during the General Elections to State Assemblies in 2018.

7. SPECIAL AWARD

for

Movement of Forces

 to

Indian Railways

For facilitating smooth movement of election material and a large number of personnel including Security Forces and Observers deployed on election duty for smooth conduct of elections in the nine States during the General Elections to State Assemblies in 2018.

8. SPECIAL AWARD

for

Accessible Election

 to

Ms B Shailaja, Director, Welfare of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens,  Telangana

for taking special drive towards making election process accessible to all persons with disabilities as well as senior citizens in the States during the State assembly Election 2018.

9. AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES

 to

Chhattisgarh

for comprehensive measures for Election Management including a series of innovative measures for voter awareness, purification of rolls, security management, efficient use of technology for voter facilitation resulting in high voter turnout during State Assembly Election 2018.

10. AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO STATES

 to

Karnataka

for comprehensive measures for Election Management including a series of innovative measures for voter awareness, purification of rolls, efficient use of technology for Accessibility and voter facilitation resulting in increased voter turnout during State Assembly Election 2018.

11. Award for Excellence to States

to

Meghalaya

for outstanding campaign for voter education under SVEEP and effective outreach measures and in forging effective partnerships for voter awareness in the State Assembly Election 2018

12. National CSO Award

for

Best Campaign on Accessibility

 to

Aarushi Society, Madhya Pradesh

for taking up measures for accessibility by organizing district level workshops,  developing accessible voter awareness material and wide dissemination of these material during the State Assembly Election 2018.

Electronic Media (Television) Category IBC24 News (Sawal Aapka Hai ) Satellite News Channel for its outstanding work focusing on voter awareness and motivating the native electors of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh regions of India. The channel telecast news stories and conducted direct public engagement program sensitizing and educating electors in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh regions throughout the poll period during State Assembly Elections 2018.