Coimbatore: Coimbatore district collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar on Wednesday appealed to first time voters to cast their votes during the assembly election on April 23.The collector was addressing the students during a Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) awareness programme at Nirmala College of Arts and Science at Sungam in the city. He said, “The purpose of conducting such awareness events is to ensure 100% voting. It is everyone’s democratic duty to vote in the elections to be held on April 23, especially students who are voting for the first time. Individual voters should have the responsibility towards choosing their leader.”The collector launched a signature campaign to ensure 100% voting. A model polling centre was set up on the college premises to educate the first-time voters about the polling set up and procedures to be followed on the day of voting. The collector inspected the centre where a mock voting session was also arranged and interacted with the students. Apart from the mock voting session, there a voter pledge and a rangoli art display. School and college students participated in the awareness activities, including painting and rangoli with tag lines like ‘My vote My right,” “My vote my strength,” “100% vote” and the like. Also, a short film titled “Voting Hero” was screened.
