There are 2.49 lakh voters over the age of 100 in India: CEC, Rajiv Kumar

According to India's Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, there are 2.49 lakh voters beyond 100. In addition, 1.80 crore of the country's voters are above 80 years old, Kumar noted on Wednesday after launching a bicycle rally in Pune, Maharashtra, to raise awareness of voter registration as part of the countrywide rollout of a special summary revision of the voters list.

The effort of the Indian Election Commission aims to increase the number of registered voters in metropolitan areas. Kumar cited the country's 6,000 km of coastline in the south, its deserts in the west, and its regions in the east as examples of the robustness and beauty of its electoral registers. When you engage with them and learn that they have been voting their entire lives, it is a source of comfort and ecstasy, the politician said. "You will be glad to know we have close to 2.49 lakh voters in our rolls who are (old) 100 plus," he said.

Additionally, he told reporters after the event that 1.80 crore voters are over 80 years old. The CEC said that the country's first voter, Shyam Saran Negi, passed away recently at the age of 106 and three days after casting his postal ballot. He said, "That is the spirit." Every year, the summary revision, according to Kumar, is conducted, but this year they are focusing heavily on it and beginning it all over the nation in Pune with the explicit goal of increasing the participation of residents from metropolitan regions.

What does it mean? "Every single citizen gets registered as a voter and strengthens the democracy by not only getting registered but also casting his or her vote," the CEC said. "Where does it mean? Everywhere in the country and the farthest possible states, be it hills, coastal lines, everywhere, inaccessible terrains, deserts, everywhere. According to Kumar, they aim to invite all young people and voters in urban areas to participate, register, and cast ballots.

The CEC stated, "The democratic traditions develop fully solid and strong only via your voting. This event was organised to raise awareness since "some of the cities, I'm not name them, don't really conduct that sort of voting and there is a whole lot of ground which we have to cover in urban areas," he stated. The bicycle rally was launched by Kumar at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in the Balewadi neighbourhood of Pune. Later, he told reporters that while voter indifference can be detected in some developed, large metro areas, it is expected that these areas will also cast their ballots enthusiastically and contribute to the strengthening of democracy.

"The same holds true for young people. If people can express their opinions via WhatsApp, they can certainly do the same when voting "added he. As the "city of knowledge," Pune was chosen for the national introduction of the special summary revision of the voter list, according to Kumar. From here, the message spreads more quickly. The CEC acknowledged that there was not much voter apathy when Pune's low voting rate was brought up. Notably, the Pune Lok Sabha seat received 49.84 percent of the total votes cast in the 2019 general elections.

According to the Negotiable Instruments Act, a holiday is announced on the day of voting. According to Kumar, some people might think, "Let's enjoy the vacation instead of going and casting a vote," but they should actually go and vote because holidays are always observed. According to Kumar, the significance of the special summary modification is that it would ensure that any voters who were previously excluded are now included. Young voters who turn 18 on qualifying dates also have the opportunity to enlist, he continued.

(source : PTI)