Bhubaneswar: Expressing dissatisfaction over the sluggish progress of Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) across districts, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, has directed all District Election Officers (DEOs) to take immediate steps to reactivate and expand these bodies across every Assembly Constituency in the state.
In an official directive issued by Dr. Laxmi Prasad Sahu, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Secretary, the election authority reiterated the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) renewed focus on youth engagement, electoral awareness, democratic participation, and countering misinformation and fake news.
The order notes that despite a previous instruction sent on June 8, 2026, the performance and functional progress of ELCs across various districts have failed to meet expectations.
Priority Action Plan Issued
To ensure immediate compliance, the CEO office has instructed all DEOs to accord the highest priority to the revival program. The initiative is to be executed in collaboration with a wide array of educational institutions, including government and private schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, universities, and colleges.
Under the fresh operational mandates, election officers must:
Target Audience: Ensure active participation of school students from Classes IX to XII and college students in the 18–25 age group.
Institutional Setup: Appoint an ELC Coordinator, Nodal Teacher, or Professor in every institution, alongside nominating student Campus Ambassadors on a rotational basis. Assembly Constituency-level ELC Coordinators will also be appointed to track progress and share best practices.
Core Activities: Direct institutions to conduct mock polls, debates, EVM/VVPAT demonstrations, and awareness drives on voter registration procedures, constitutional values, and ethical voting against fake news.
Advance Enrolment: Encourage eligible young voters to submit advance applications via Form-6 for voter roll inclusion.
Digital & Social Media Outreach: Integrate club initiatives with social media platforms to promote responsible digital behaviour among youth.
August 19 Deadline Set for Compliance
The CEO office has specified that active ELC members will receive participation certificates, while high-performing clubs introducing innovative literacy models will be formally recognised.
With ongoing electoral activities underway, District Election Officers have been directed to submit a complete compliance report on all ELC activities conducted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) period to the CEO by August 19.
Furthermore, real-time tracking of active ELC status is being integrated into a centralised online database.
