In Ladakh, National Voters’ Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Ice Hockey Ground, Biamaithang, Kargil, despite the mercury plunging below -7 degrees Celsius.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, attended the function as the Chief Guest, while District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Rakesh Kumar, was the Guest of Honour.
On the occasion, an ice hockey match was played between CEC Club and DC Club, in which the CEC Club emerged victorious. A Speed Skating event was also organised, and a thematic skit on voter awareness was presented by the Ranthag Theatre Group, Kargil, highlighting the importance of democratic participation.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon said that the frontier district of Kargil has recorded one of the highest voter turnouts in the last Parliamentary elections, with participation exceeding 74%, reflecting the people’s strong faith in the democratic system of the country. He lauded the dedicated efforts of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for strengthening democracy at the grassroots level and urged new voters to exercise their franchise responsibly.
Meanwhile, DC Kargil Rakesh Kumar, while speaking to the media, said that the people of Kargil consistently participate in elections with remarkable enthusiasm. He encouraged citizens to aim for making Kargil the first district in the country with 100% voter turnout. He also urged new voters to act as ambassadors of electoral awareness.
The DC further informed that the Election Commission of India has introduced user-friendly and advanced technologies, enabling citizens to access electoral services through ECI mobile applications without visiting government offices.
Later, a voters’ pledge was administered by the Additional District Commissioner, Kargil. The programme concluded with the distribution of prizes and trophies among players and participants by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries.
