Mark Your Presence, in collaboration with NSS Mumbai University and Lala Lajpat Rai College, successfully organised a Voter Town Hall with 650 students at Lala Lajpat Rai College today, with the objective of making young people more informed, aware, and conscious about their right to vote.
The core idea of the Voter Town Hall was to help students understand what elections are, why they matter, and more importantly, to break down the often-overlooked Municipal Corporation elections, particularly the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The session focused on explaining crucial aspects such as:
• What municipal or corporation elections are
• The role and powers of the BMC
• Who the contesting corporators are
• Alliance structures
• A review of past municipal elections
The aim was to ensure that young voters clearly understand what they are voting for and why their vote matters at the local level.
Chaitanya Prabhu, Founder of Mark Your Presence, along with his team, led an in-depth session on the BMC elections. He walked students through the working of the BMC, the responsibilities of corporators, and the significance of local governance in everyday civic life. He also explained party manifestos, highlighting key differences and priorities across political parties, enabling students to compare and evaluate them critically. This session aimed to make democracy more accessible, relatable, and engaging for young voters.
Eshan Priya M.S., journalist with Mid-Day, took students through her initiative “Know Your Vote”, emphasising the importance of informed voting and how young citizens can assess candidates, issues, and governance beyond headlines.
RJ Archana from Radio city spoke about the role of youth in holding elected representatives accountable and highlighted how radio and media act as crucial bridges between citizens and those in power.
Anish Gawande, Rhodes Scholar and Oxford graduate, provided insights into alliance politics, decision-making during elections, and the importance of making informed, conscious electoral choices, especially in complex multi-party systems.
Adding a lighter and engaging dimension to the event, Tushar Pujari, stand-up comedian and producer of India’s Got Latent, delivered a comedy set that infused humour into conversations around democracy. His performance reinforced the idea that political engagement does not have to be intimidating and that democracy can be discussed in fun and relatable ways.
Afrida Rahman Ali, executive editor of the FPJ, was also a speaker in the event.
The event witnessed an overwhelming turnout of more than 650 young people, reflecting strong youth interest in civic participation and democratic dialogue.
Through this Voter Town Hall, Mark Your Presence and NSS reaffirmed their commitment to building an informed, aware, and active generation of young voters, ensuring that democracy remains participatory, inclusive, and youth-driven.
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