Social networking platforms are proving the best bet to connect with the public.
The Gaya district administration launched a Facebook page on June 8 with an eye on the Assembly elections.
Till Friday, around 671 persons had liked the page created on the initiative of Gaya district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and under the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activity.
Gaya deputy development commissioner (DDC) Vijay Kumar has been made in-charge of the SVEEP activity in Gaya. Facebook users can check out the page by searching District Administration, Gaya.
DM Agarwal said: "People from not only urban but rural areas are visiting the Facebook page to collect information about the elections, such as correction in the names and addresses in their elector's photo identity card (EPIC) and how to get their name included in the electoral rolls among others, which is available or being uploaded on the Facebook page.
Representatives of political parties and candidates can also visit the Facebook page for information on the Assembly elections. The motive behind creating the Facebook page is also to get information from the public, ensure more participation and enrolment of young voters and motivate the voters.
"Motivational videos related to elections and ECI advertisements would also be uploaded on the page. Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and badminton player Saina Nehwal are ECI's national brand ambassadors, who feature in motivational videos. We have plans to make brand ambassadors from among the youths who would visit the Facebook page.
"We would launch a special drive in colleges and other institutions to connect with young voters. All information on the Assembly elections, such as number of voters in each of the 10 Assembly segments in Gaya district - male and female - number of polling booths and number of candidates contesting elections would be uploaded on the page. The administration has also created a group of officers on Whatsapp. Through this mobile application, the officials can exchange information very fast," Agarwal said.
"For the first time, ballot papers bearing photographs of candidates apart from their symbols would be used during elections across the state, including that of Member of Legislative Council (MLC)," said Agarwal, who is also the election officer for the MLC elections.
Around 8,139 voters would cast their votes to elect the MLC for which nominations would be filed up to June 18. Voting would be held on July 7 and votes would be counted on July 10.
