Bhubaneswar: Students of SAI International Residential School (SIRS) took centrestage at an electoral awareness programme organised at the Odisha State Election office on Thursday.
The event, themed ‘The Election – the Festival of Democracy’, helped showcase the civic responsibility and active citizenship of 32 class XI & XII students of SIRS.
Aimed to instil a robust understanding of voter motivation and awareness strategies through interactive sessions and engaging presentations among the youth, the session was facilitated by Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal.
One of the highlights was students’ active participation and insightful queries, particularly regarding Form No. 6 and operational efficiency of Election Commission.
Additional Chief Electoral Officers (ACEO) N Thirumala Naik and Satrughna Kar led discussions on voting challenges, sparking innovative suggestions from enthusiastic participants for enhancing online voting solutions.
Deputy CEOs Padmaja Dash and Anamika Singh were also present.
Officials emphasised on the importance of fostering voting engagement, and highlighted the significance of students’ role in shaping India’s democratic fabric, especially in addressing gender disparities in voter turnout observed in Odisha.
“As students, we’re not just the future voters, we’re the present advocates for democracy. Engaging in programmes like these empowers us to understand our role in shaping India’s democratic landscape and inspires us to drive positive change in our society,” said one of the participating students.
