In order to make the people aware about the importance of the right to vote and to encourage them to participate in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, the Deputy Commissioner Cum district election officer Mr. Chander Gaind, divisional commissioner Mr. Sumer Gurjar, GoG district coordinator General SS Chauhan, CEO of DCM group Mr. Anirudh Gupta on Saturday morning at 5.30 am jointly flagged off a cycle rally, where hundreds of cyclists embark their journey on the ten kilometer long route around the city and cantt area. To exhort people to use their voting right in huge number, the deputy commissioner himself rode the bicycle and interacted with the youth en-route to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium. In his interaction with the youth, he asked the prospective voters of the district to come forward on the voting day i.e. may 19 and bring their family members, friends, and neighbors to the polling booths. The deputy commissioner then makes the youth understand the value of each vote and how every vote counts in the democratic system. He also elaborated the details of events being organized under SVEEP campaign to aware people about their voting right. He explained that the district administration is making arrangement to facilitate senior and disabled voters to get them accessed to polling booths easily by providing wheelchairs, volunteer’s assistance, and other services.
The rally started from Shaheed bhagat singh stadium, then going from shaheed udham singh chowk, modi mill, kasoori gate, amritsari gate, bansi gate, makhu gate, zira gate, bagdagi gate, malwal chwok, bhagat namdev chowk, and central jail road and culminated back to stadium. The arrangement of cold water was made at the various points on the route of the rally.At the end of the program, a facilitation ceremony was organized at the stadium to recognize organizations for their participation and contribution to make event a mega success. The deputy commissioner lauded the efforts of NGOs especially DCM Group, Mayank Foundation, WAIC immigration for their active contribution in the organization of cycle rally. Addressing the gathering at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium, the deputy commissioner Mr. Chander Gaind expressed hope that the cycle rally would act as a catalyst to make the people, especially youngsters aware of their voting rights. Mr. Gaind said that it was the foresight of our forefathers that we as citizens of India having voting right, whereas there are several countries where people don’t have voting right and dictatorship is prevailing there. However, it is unfortunate on the part of voters, especially educated and urban society that the poll percentage always remains low in urban areas, which is also known as urban apathy. He called upon people especially urban youngsters to come up on the voting day and exercise their franchise so that Ferozepur district could be put up in the list of top voting districts of Punjab. He extended the vote of thanks to the organizations i.e. District Bar Association, Indian Medical Association, Indian Dental Association, Hussaniwala Riders for the participation in the rally. On the occasion assistant commissioner Mr. Ranjit Singh, district SVEEP coordinator Dr. Satinder Singh, Dr. Birpartap Singh, DSO Mr. Sunil Sharma, and others were present.