SHILLONG: Hundreds of tribal people – Khasis and Garos – on Friday assembled at Byrnihat, the northern entry-point of Meghalaya, to listen to the important message from the U Sangot.
U Sangot, the traditional Khasi information broadcaster, this year, has been adopted as a part of the Election Commission of India’s voter awareness programme in Meghalaya.
Dressed in traditional Khasi costume, the U Sangot on Friday played a pro-active role in spreading voter awareness among the tribal hoi polloi, who had assembled on Friday at Byrnihat for the weekly market.
Bah J. Syngkli, the Rangbah Shnong (headman) of Byrnihat introduced the U Sangot and his team to the people, who had assembled at the weekly market from different villages along the northern periphery of Ri Bhoi district.
Bah Syngkli spoke about the importance of the Lok Sabha election, and said each voter should ensure that they exercise their franchise, and should pick up the best candidate as their leader in the parliament.
“We can only guarantee that India will continue as a strong democracy only if we vote in larger number,” the Rangbah Shnong said, adding that voting is the constitutional right of every Indian citizen, and each one should exercise the right.
U Sangot said it is a matter of pride that the electorate in Meghalaya will be the first in India to exercise their franchise as the voting is scheduled to be held on April 19, the first phase of Lok Sabha Election 2024.
Highlighting CEO Meghalaya’s Clean & Green elections, the U Sangot said every voter should compete with each other to be the first one to exercise their franchise in their respective polling stations.
The first two voters – one male and one female, will get the opportunity to plant saplings in the campus of the polling stations, with their names written on a board by the side of the tree.
“Clean and green election is the primary focus of the General Election to Lok Sabha 2024 in Meghalaya,” the U Sangot said, adding that a clean and green ecosystem can only lead Meghalaya towards the path of prosperity.
U Sangot also told the electorates that voters should ensure that they reach the polling stations on time. “Polling will come to an end at 4 pm. Please don’t miss the opportunity,” he said.
The U Sangot initiative by CEO Meghalaya is part of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India.
It is a multi-intervention programme that reaches out through different modes and media to educate citizens, electors, and voters about the electoral process in order to increase their awareness and promote their informed participation.
Interestingly, the programme under SVEEP is designed according to the socio-economic, cultural, and demographic profile of the state as well as history of electoral participation in previous rounds of elections.
