New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has selected the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, which functions under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for the National Award for creating voter awareness across the country during the period of 2021-2022.
ECI will confer the award on Satyendra Prakash, IIS, Pr. Director-General, BOC, on January 25 on the occasion of National Voters' Day. The department has been selected under the category of National Award For Government Department for enhancing electoral participation and for conducting activities towards voter awareness and education.
Speaking about the accolade, Satyendra Prakash said: "The Best Award that we have been chosen for is based on the General Elections of 2019 and the state assembly elections held in 2019-2020 in which Kerela, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam were the prominent polls. We organised the programmes through our regional bureaus and the Election Commission recognised our work".
"Bureau of Outreach and Communication in the Ministry Of Information and Broadcasting has played a key role in educating the voters and in increasing electoral participation. The award is being given in recognition of the same," he added.
The Director-General further stated that increased voter participation is being witnessed in consecutive polls in comparison to the previous ones. Election Commission has recognised the role played by Bureau of Outreach and Communication in ensuring this, he added.
ECI will present a total of 23 awards on National Voters' Day. Tamil Nadu has been chosen for the Best Performing State Award for Best Electoral Practices and the National Media Award will go to AIR, Guwahati.
January 25, celebrated as National Voters’ Day (NVD), witnesses focused festivities across the country reverberating with the celebration of democracy.
Awards for Excellence, Proficiency, and Innovation in election processes and procedures are being conferred on National Voters’ Day. These awards recognise contributions by election machinery, Government department/Agency/PSU/CSO and media every year. While State Awards are presented at the NVD functions at state headquarters, the National Awards are presented at the national function in Delhi.
