Best Electoral Practices Awards 2014
Systematic Voter Education & Electoral Participation
“The Green Carpet Initiative –
Celebrating Democracy with Dignity”
Presented By
Vikas Singh Narwal (I.A.S.)
District Election Officer, Nimach (M.P.)
NIMACH DISTRICT
General Information:
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No. of Constituencies
Total Population
Total Electors
EP Ratio
Gender Ratio
PER & EPIC Coverage
Polling Stations
Critical Polling Stations
-
03
847572
536388
63.28
936
100%
644+1
67
The Green Carpet Concept :
“
It is all about creating sustainable &
institutionalized mechanisms for
end to end facilitation of various
actors involved in the electoral
process so that their dignity is
ensured while getting desirable
outcome at the same time. ”
The Green Carpet Initiative
Background:
• ECI’s focus on SVEEP (Systematic Voter
Education & Electoral Participation)
• Low Voter Turnout History in Nimach
• Ethical Voting Concerns
• The Dignity Challenge
Motivation :
“ The ceaseless efforts taken up by
ECI to penetrate SVEEP activities
to the ground level and make
elections
a
true
democratic
celebration has been a constant &
continuous source of motivation to
take up this initative. ”
Focus Areas:
• Reaching out to every voter to understand
his needs and issues
• Creating Voter Friendly Environment at
every polling station
• Preparing strategy for maximum voter turn
out
• Ensuring human dignity for every stake
holder at every stage
Strategies Adopted:
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Model Polling Stations
Queue Less Management
Swift Polling Parties
Vote with Dignity
End to End Voter Facilitation
Standardization of Poll Activities
Cost Effective Solutions
Model Polling Stations:
• Total 70 MPS established with aim to
achieve maximum voter turnout
• Developing polling stations as a centre of
attraction
• Ensuring dignity of voters & polling staff
• Exposure visits of voters in MPS for
spreading awareness
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Model Polling Stations
Queue Less Management :
• Adoption of Token System for Queue
less Voting
• Sitting arrangements for comfortable
waiting
• Cyclic distribution of tokens
• Feedback mechanism for service
evaluation
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Queue Less Management
Swift Polling Parties :
• Constitution of Swift Polling Parties for
Rapid Poll Casting
• Target based approach – 100 votes / hour
• Strict enforcement of protocols
• Appreciation of Polling Parties for meeting
their targets
• Repeated mock drills of polling parties for
error free operation
Vote with dignity :
• Appointment of motivators in every
polling station for ground level work
• Penetration of SVEEP activities at the
doorstep of voter
• Every Vote counts campaign – taking
choice from voter itself
• Ensuring dignity while voting – giving
voter green carpet welcome
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
SVEEP Activities
End to End Voter Facilitation :
• Total 80 Voter Facilitation Centres
established
• Familiarisation with voter welfare
measures
• Familiarisation with polling party welfare
measures
• Ethical Voting – understanding secrecy of
vote
Standardization of poll activities:
• Do’s & Don’ts for various stakeholders –
imparting effective training
• Preparation of ASD list
• Thorough Deduplication Exercise –
- with in Constituency
- with in district
- w.r.t bordering districts of M.P.&
Rajasthan
Cost Effective Solutions:
• Use of token system
• Rational use of government buildings &
infrastructure
• Cost effective Webcasting & Video
Conferencing
• Arranging local logistics
Plan of an Ideal Polling Station :
VC
P1
P2
P3
Main Polling Station
Waiting Area
PO
T2
T1
Exit
DW
Entry
Toilet
(Gents)
Toilet
(Ladies)
Outcome:
• 19.47 % increase in voter turnout over
2009 General Elections
Outcome:
• 20.55 % increase in voter turnout in Model
Polling Stations over 2009 Elections
Outcome:
• Uniform effect on all Assembly Constituencies
Outcome:
• Uniform effect on most of the Polling Stations
Outcome :
• A total of 101 Polling Parties turned out to
be Swift Polling Parties.
• A total of 99 Motivators achieved more
than 80 % voting on their assigned Polling
Station.
• Institutionalization of Ideal Polling Stations
• Institutionalization of Voter Facilitation
Centers
Critique :
• Gender Gap Issues need to be tackled more
effectively
• Proper rationalisation of polling stations
needed
• Making voters familiarised with Electoral Roll
is a challenge
• Voter facilitation is a continuous phenomenon
which needs constant evaluation
The Way Forward :
• Rationalisation of polling station at
section level
• Making every polling station an ideal
polling station
• More focus on women participation
• Effective micro planning to reach each &
every voter
Conclusion:
“ Voter Education and Voter Facilitation
are two key factors that decide
Electoral Participation and if these
two are tackled in systematic,
scientific & sustainable manner then
the uniformity in electoral behavior
can be certainly predicted.”
“May God Bless Us All”
Thank You