MARGAO
If yes, you may soon face a query from the nearest Booth Level Officer (BLO) on the reasons behind your decision not to cast the vote in the February 4 poll. In fact, BLOs have fanned out to the nooks and corners of the state, in a bid to track down on the voters, who did not cast their vote in the Assembly election and find out the reasons.
The survey assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the percentage of polling for the Goa Assembly election reportedly fell short of the expectations and the target set by the election officials.
Booth Level Officials in Salcete and down South have already made their presence at the voters’ residences in their respective constituencies in an attempt to compile a report on the reasons behind the failure of the voters to vote in the election.
Additional Collector, South Johnson Fernandes said there is no compulsion on the voters to explain their failure to cast their vote. “The election authorities are only trying to find out why around 20 per cent of the total voters did not turn up and cast their vote in the election. And, that too after the election authorities took care in the cleansing of the electoral roll ahead of the election”, Johnson said.
He pointed out that BLOs will also try to ascertain whether those who have not turned up for voting are dead or alive or whether they have shifted their residence to
some other place. “Once compiled, the report will help the authorities to analyse the reasons behind the shortfall of the poll percentage and suggest remedial action in future election”, Johnson added.
Another district official added: “The survey will also find out why the turnout of certain section of voters was low. For instance, the female turn out of voters was high in Nuvem. The BLOs will try to find out whether there were indeed so many male voters from the constituency who were abroad on the day of the poling or whether they did not come out for voting for some other reason”, he added.
Joint Electoral officer, Narayan Navti said the on-going survey, which is known as an End line survey conducted post-election is part of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral participation (SVEEP) program initiated by the Election Commission of India post February 4 election. “The End-Line survey will ascertain why certain people did not come out and cast their vote. The voters will not be compelled to explain the reasons behind their decision not to cast their vote. It is only an exercise to find out the reasons why nearly 15-17 per cent of the voters did not turn up for voting on February 4”, Navti said.
Replying to a query, he said the exercise has already been kicked off by the BLOs given the huge gap between voting and counting day. “Once compiled, a copy of the report will be forwarded to the Election Commission of India. The report will also help the election officials to deliberate on the shortfall in the poll percentage and steps required to boost the percentage in the future”, Navti said. The Goa Electoral office had set a target of 87-90 per cent of polling in the 2017 Goa Assembly election, but Navti said the final percentage hovered around 83 per cent. some other place. “Once compiled, the report will help the authorities to analyse the reasons behind the shortfall of the poll percentage and suggest remedial action in future election”, Johnson added.
Another district official added: “The survey will also find out why the turnout of certain section of voters was low. For instance, the female turn out of voters was high in Nuvem. The BLOs will try to find out whether there were indeed so many male voters from the constituency who were abroad on the day of the poling or whether they did not come out for voting for some other reason”, he added.
Joint Electoral officer, Narayan Navti said the on-going survey, which is known as an End line survey conducted post-election is part of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral participation (SVEEP) program initiated by the Election Commission of India post February 4 election. “The End-Line survey will ascertain why certain people did not come out and cast their vote. The voters will not be compelled to explain the reasons behind their decision not to cast their vote. It is only an exercise to find out the reasons why nearly 15-17 per cent of the voters did not turn up for voting on February 4”, Navti said.
Replying to a query, he said the exercise has already been kicked off by the BLOs given the huge gap between voting and counting day. “Once compiled, a copy of the report will be forwarded to the Election Commission of India. The report will also help the election officials to deliberate on the shortfall in the poll percentage and steps required to boost the percentage in the future”, Navti said. The Goa Electoral office had set a target of 87-90% of polling in 2017 Assembly election, but Navti said final percentage hovered around 83 % .
