Bhubaneswar: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, has directed all District Election Officers (DEOs) to immediately revive and strengthen Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) across every Assembly constituency, with a renewed focus on promoting electoral awareness, democratic values and youth participation in the electoral process.
In a communication issued by the Home (Elections) Department, the CEO’s office noted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has placed renewed emphasis on revitalising ELCs to enhance electoral literacy, encourage informed participation among young voters and counter misinformation. However, it observed that the progress in the functioning of these clubs across Odisha has remained below expectations.
The DEOs have been instructed to reactivate existing ELCs and establish new ones in eligible educational institutions, including government and private schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, colleges, universities and other higher educational institutions.
As part of the initiative, schools have been asked to involve students from Classes IX to XII, while colleges will target young people in the 18-25 age group. Educational institutions have also been directed to appoint ELC coordinators or nodal teachers and encourage the selection of campus ambassadors on a rotational basis.
The CEO’s office has outlined a wide range of awareness activities to be organised under the programme. These include sessions on constitutional values, democratic principles, the functioning of the Election Commission of India, voter registration procedures, electoral roll preparation and updation, Special Intensive Revision (SIR) activities, demonstrations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems, as well as mock polls, debates, quizzes, essay competitions and campaigns promoting ethical voting and awareness against fake news and misinformation.
District administrations have also been asked to integrate ELC activities with digital and social media platforms to enhance youth engagement and promote responsible use of online platforms. Assembly constituency-level ELC coordinators will be designated to monitor implementation, facilitate reporting and share best practices.
The communication further recommends recognising outstanding Electoral Literacy Clubs for innovative initiatives and issuing participation certificates to active members.
The CEO’s office has instructed DEOs to accord top priority to the programme and ensure close coordination with educational institutions and other stakeholders for its effective implementation. Districts have also been asked to submit reports on ELC activities conducted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision period by August 19 for review by the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha. Additionally, they have been directed to update the status of active Electoral Literacy Clubs through a designated online reporting platform.
