Former Indian cricketer and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been recognised as 'National Icon' of the Election Commission (EC) to encourage higher voter turnout among the voters in the country. Batting maestro and Bharat Ratna awardee Sachin Tendulkar was presented with the title and recognition in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
The step comes ahead of elections in several states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and others and the all important Lok Sabha Elections scheduled for 2024.
According to the protocol, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between EC and Sachin Tendulkar. Present during the event were Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel.
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Sachin was a Rajya Sabha MP himself
Sachin Tendulkar is himself no stranger to politics. Though the batting great hasn't contested any election or entered the electoral pitch (so far), he was nominated as a Rajya Sabha MP by the Congress in the year 2012. He was awarded with India's highest civil honour, the Bharat Ratna, a year later in 2013.
Elections in five states
Before the general elections in 2024, five states will go to polls this year or in the initial months of 2024. The five poll bound states are Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Past EC 'National Icons'
In the year 2022, the Election Commission had recognised actor Pankaj Tripathi as a national icon. During the last general elections in the year 2019, former India cricket team captain MS Dhoni, actor Aamir Khan and iconic boxer Mary Kom had been the national icons for the EC.
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