Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas on Friday appealed to people to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha polls in large numbers.
Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state is underway amid tight security arrangements. More than 26 per cent voting was recorded till 11 am, according to the Election Commission.
"The government has declared a public holiday for goverment servants and a paid holiday for the private sector. We have appealed to all, particularly government servants, to exercise their voting rights," Vyas told a news conference here.
He said Mizoram had registered a meagre 63.13 per cent voter turnout in the last Lok Sabha polls in April 2019, which was significantly less than the national average of 67 per cent.
He said that low voting percentage does not only undermine the democratic spirit, but also weakens voice of the population in shaping the future of the nation.
The CEO appealed to the Mizo people to set an example for other states by exercising their franchise in the LS polls. Over 8.56 lakh voters, including 4.4 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of six candidates.
The highest voter turnout was recorded in the 1996 Lok Sabha polls at 73.41 per cent, followed by 69.56 per cent in 1998. In the state assembly polls held in November last year, more than 82 per cent of voters exercised their franchise.
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