CEO office, J&K conducts conference of UT, dist ICONS to boost voter participation

JAMMU, AUG 31: In a bid to enhance voter turnout for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections starting September 18, 2024, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) J&K conducted an online conference with UT and District ICONS on Saturday. The conference, chaired by Additional Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J&K, Rahul Sharma, took place at Nirvachan Bhawan, Jammu, with Akther Hussain Qazi, Nodal Officer SVEEP, and Sapna Kotwal, Nodal Officer for Media, also in attendance.
The virtual conference saw participation from UT ICONS and district-level social media influencers from diverse fields, including music, sports, literature, technology, and social work. The primary objective was to raise awareness about the upcoming J&K Assembly Elections 2024, which will be held in three phases across 90 constituencies starting September 18, 2024, with a special focus on first-time voters.
During the session, the UT ICONS were encouraged to leverage their skills and experience to motivate and educate voters. Rahul Sharma urged the ICONS to focus on engaging young voters, persons with disabilities (PwDs), tribal communities, slum dwellers, women, and the elderly to ensure maximum participation.
Nodal Officer SVEEP provided guidance on creating and disseminating neutral video and audio messages through social media platforms. These messages are to be impartial, avoiding bias towards any political party or candidate, to effectively reach and influence the electorate.
The conference featured notable UT ICONS such as S. Chandeep Singh, Sandhya Dhar, Ankush Sabharwal, Shivani Arora, Zoddi, Imran Khan, Shwetima Jamwal, Sargam Koushal, Parvez Rasool, Faisal Ali Dar, Sonali Dogra, Mahfooz Elahi, Kabul Bukhari, Nazir Ahmed Lone, Bilkis Maqbool, Ashok Hans, Shazia Bashir, Aabha Hanjura, and Sadia Tariq. Their involvement is expected to play a crucial role in driving voter engagement and participation in the forthcoming elections.