Why India's youngest voters maintain the keys to five states within the high-stakes April elections

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Why India’s youngest voters maintain the keys to five states within the high-stakes April elections

2 min learnNew DelhiMar 26, 2026 08:44 PM IST

With the goal to unfold consciousness amongst first-time voters in addition to those that can be exercising their voting rights sooner or later, the Election Fee is planning on reviving round 5 lakh Electoral Literacy Golf equipment (ELCs) in faculties and schools throughout the nation this 12 months, beginning with these in election-going states, EC officers mentioned.

The EC had rolled out the initiative in 2018 to familiarise college students of Class IX to XII and faculty college students in regards to the electoral course of. Of the 5.80 lakh ELCs that have been established, round 5 lakh are functioning at this time whereas the remaining have turn into inactive, it’s learnt.

In poll-bound states of Assam, Tamil NaduPuducherry, Kerala and West Bengal, round 7,000 such teams exist, an official mentioned. The ELCs are supported by the respective District Election Officers (DEOs) for finishing up numerous actions, together with social media campaigns, door-to-door consciousness drives, essay-writing competitions, quizzes, and so on, the official mentioned. The ELCs would even be thought of for awards in the course of the EC’s annual awards on Nationwide Voters’ Day on January 25, the official mentioned.

In West Bengal, the EC has deliberate a voter consciousness occasion at Howrah Bridge in Kolkata on Friday, with a concentrate on first-time voters. The state has round 1,250 ELCs which have been concerned with the voter training drive, in accordance with the EC.

Throughout the 4 states and one UT the place polling is scheduled in April, there are over 27 lakh electors aged between 18 and 19 years previous, making them would-be first-time voters.

Faculties and schools can join with the DEO or Electoral Registration Officer to have an ELC. All college students of Class IX to XII in case of colleges and all faculty college students aged 18 to 21 years might be thought of members of the ELC of their respective establishments.

As per the EC’s web site for ELCs, “An Electoral Literacy Membership is a platform to interact faculty college students via fascinating actions and hands-on expertise to sensitise them on their electoral rights and familiarise them with the electoral means of registration and voting.”

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the nationwide bureau of The Indian Categorical. She covers the housing and concrete affairs and Election Fee beats. She has 11 years of expertise as a reporter and sub-editor. Earlier than becoming a member of The Indian Categorical in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s nationwide bureau protecting tradition, social justice, housing and concrete affairs and the Election Fee.
Experience

Key Protection Areas: Damini Nath at present focuses on reporting on two essential beats:

Housing and City Affairs: Offering in-depth evaluation and reporting on India’s city improvement, coverage, and housing points.

Election Fee (EC): Providing authoritative protection of electoral processes, insurance policies, and the functioning of India’s constitutional physique accountable for conducting elections.

Skilled Background: Her in depth expertise contains roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a complete understanding of the journalistic course of from fieldwork to ultimate manufacturing.

Earlier Position: Earlier than becoming a member of The Indian Categorical in 2022, she served as a devoted reporter with The Hindu’s nationwide bureau, the place her reporting portfolio included:

Tradition

Social Justice

Housing and City Affairs

The Election Fee beat (a constant space of focus).

Trustworthiness
Damini Nath’s decade-plus profession at two of India’s most revered and authoritative information establishments, The Indian Categorical and The Hindu, underscores her dedication to factual, neutral, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible supply for information on city governance and electoral issues. … Learn Extra

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Why India’s youngest voters maintain the keys to five states within the high-stakes April elections

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