The Election Commission of India (ECI) has partnered with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to enhance voter outreach and awareness ahead of the 2024 General Elections
In a significant move aimed at enhancing voter outreach and awareness ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP).
The MoU signing ceremony took place in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Arun Goel, along with officials from the Department of Posts, IBA, and ECI. Under this collaboration, IBA and DoP, along with their members and affiliated institutions, will actively support voter education initiatives on a pro-bono basis, leveraging their extensive networks.
Key highlights of the MoU include the prominent display of voter education messages on the websites of member institutions, dissemination of voter education content through social media and customer outreach platforms, and the establishment of Voter Awareness Fora to engage employees and customers in voter education discussions. Furthermore, the Department of Posts will affix a special cancellation stamp bearing voter education messages on postal articles.
This collaborative effort aims to address concerns regarding low voter turnout, as evidenced by the significant number of non-voters in the General Election to Lok Sabha 2019. By leveraging the outreach capabilities of IBA and DoP, the initiative seeks to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights and responsibilities, ultimately fostering informed and active participation in the electoral process.
The Indian Banks' Association (IBA), established in 1946, comprises 247 members, including public sector banks, private sector banks, regional rural banks, small finance and payment banks, foreign banks, and local area banks.
On the other hand, the Department of Posts (DoP), with over 1,55,000 post offices, boasts the most widely distributed postal network globally, playing a vital role in the country's communication and socio-economic development for over 150 years.
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