Prez Kovind asks youth to elect representatives with caution

Crediting the stability of India's democracy to the voters, President Ram Nath Kovind today urged the youth to elect their representatives after paying due attention.
He said the level of attention one pays while taking a personal decision should be the same while electing a representative.
Addressing the national voters day event here, Kovind said the establishment of the Election Commission on this day in 1950, a day before India became a republic, shows the strength of our democracy.
He said casting ballot in a republic is like a 'yajna' where every vote is like an oblation.
"Our constitution empowers an independent Election Commission and our election process makes every vote important, with the right to equality and freedom. As such the Indian democracy is known through the world for its maturity and stability," he said.

He reminded that developed countries took many years to hand over the suffrage right to its citizens whereas the Indian Constitution empowered the citizens in one stroke.

The President also conferred the national awards for the best electoral practices to officers deputed in the election machinery.
He congratulated district election officials for conducting awareness campaigns successfully.
These awards were in recognition of outstanding efforts employed in the area of election management, voters education and electoral participation, information technology, security management and innovation in elections.