Thane electors to take oath for casting vote in assembly polls

Thane, Nov 11 (PTI) Authorities have launched an "oath-taking" initiative to boost voter turnout in Thane district where people will come together on November 14 to pledge to exercise their franchise in the Maharashtra assembly polls, officials said on Monday.

The state assembly elections will be held on November 20.

At 11 am on November 14, a mass "oath-taking" ceremony will be held simultaneously across all 18 assembly constituencies in Thane district.

The initiative is set to involve nearly one crore people, who will pledge to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections, recognising it as a national duty, said a release issued by district collector Ashok Shingare.

This is part of the district's voter awareness campaign under the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme.

The district authorities along with a number of NGOs, educational institutions and local agencies have been working to ensure the success of this event.

According to district information officer Manoj Shivaji Sanap, the event will be marked by a district-wide, synchronised effort where citizens across Thane will simultaneously take the pledge to vote.

"The oath will emphasise the importance of voting as a national duty," he said.

To ensure maximum participation and to generate awareness across the district, the organisers have introduced several innovative steps, including the use of sirens, which will serve as a reminder to the people to join the programme at the scheduled time, the release.

The oath text will be distributed digitally via social media platforms for a wider reach, it said.

The District Information Office has already come out with a digital flip-book which will serve as a comprehensive reference tool for media personnel and citizens for the assembly elections. PTI COR GK