Alipurdur District in West Bengal, is the ‘State Awardee for Best Electoral Practices’ under category of ‘Innovative Campaigns & SVEEP activities’ this year. 2011-batch IAS officer Mr. Surendra Kumar Meena, who is the DM and district election officer, receives this award on the occasion of National Voter’s Day. So how did Alipurduar achieved this honour?
Mr. Meena focused on marginalized people specially sex workers, third genders and on far-flung areas of district. He is ensuring that all the eligible voters enroll themselves as voters and also to make the election free, fair, accessible and inclusive.
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Meena said, “To ensure a better, transparent, responsible, vibrant and a more inclusive governance, various SVEEP activities have been conducted during the Special Summary Revision phase 2022-23.”
BEST ELECTORAL ACTIVITIES
Mr. Meena’s strategy includes conducting meetings with political parties for widespread outreach and organizing outreach camps at distant places like forest villages and tea gardens located in all 5 Assembly Constituencies. Officers at the district and at the block level were asked to ensure maximum enrollment of voters, educating the voters of their rights and responsibilities as the main stakeholder and also ensuring their better participation.
They also felicitated the 70 plus and 80 plus voters for their contribution towards the electoral process so that the younger generation get motivated and come forward to participate as responsible voters in building up a vibrant democracy for a better tomorrow.
Mr. Meena said, “Administration is also organizing gender-sensitive voter education programs and ensuring full participation of women in the electoral process towards their political empowerment. For better transparency, accessibility and efficiency, through GARUDA App, Voter Helpline app and NVSP ensured to the maximum.”
ACHIEVEMENTS
As per the Social welfare report there are 98 sex workers/distress women in the district, out of which 37 cases have been identified for new enrollment as a voter. Administration was able to submit and all 37 applications in the said camp achieving 100 percent enrollment.
Some of the big achievements of administration that election commission praised were – 100 percent target for enrollment of prospective, 99 percent of the forms submitted online. The gender ratio has risen appreciably during the summary revision campaign period.
SVEEP
Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation also known as SVEEP was initiated in the year 2009 by the Election commission of India. In Indian democratic system, SVEEP plays an essential role in creating awareness among the voters and educating them regarding the voting procedures, their rights and responsibilities as a voter.
