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Vision for a New Century Chapter 5

SVEEP

Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) is a flagship programme of Election Commission of India.
Its motto is “Greater Participation for a Stronger Democracy”. Launched in 2009, the programme aims at spreading voter
awareness and promoting electoral literacy in India to boost electoral participation in statistical and qualitative terms. SVEEP
became the conscious declaration of an active shift to voter-centric election management.

SVEEP's primary goal is to build a truly participative democracy. All eligible voters are encouraged to exercise their
franchise in a free and fair manner. The programme is based on general as well as targeted interventions according to the
socio-economic, cultural and demographic profile of the state. It aims at enrollment/facilitation of women, young and first
time voters, senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and migrant workers.
The SVEEP brought Election Commission into permanent engagement with the masses. Outreach programmes like
audio-video promos, print and outdoor campaign, marathons, rallies, quiz shows, essay writing, poster designing were
organised in large number across all districts of India. Mobile informative vans were used with great success in reaching out
to voters in interior areas. Under the SVEEP programme, Election Commission of India has worked with greater synergy
with Civil Society Organisations, Media and Corporate Houses as well as taken into consideration queries, suggestions
and feedback from the individuals to build qualitative participation.

then Vice President of India, Prime Minister, Speaker of Electoral Officers directing them to set up district level
Lok Sabha, Minister of Law and Justice, the event was committees soon after announcement of elections to do
attended by then Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, vigorous scrutiny of all newspapers to track political
Governors/Lt. Governors, and leaders of national and advertisement in the garb of news coverage. This
state recognised political parties, former Chief Election exercise was preceded and followed by a range of
Commissioners and 30 heads of electoral bodies from consultations with media and political parties to build
different parts of the world. Around the same time “Paid confidence and understanding.
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news” emerged as a matter of grave concern. Paid News Dr. S.Y. Quraishi assumed the charge as the 17 Chief
is now both an issue of electoral corruption, whereby a Election Commissioner of India on July 30, 2010. The
candidate/political party concealed their election three legacies of his tenure are putting the SVEEP
expenditure, and also a mendacious method to influence (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation)
public opinion and electoral choice. Political parties and on solid footing, launching National Voters Day, and
well-meaning stalwarts from Indian media have pleaded establishment of IIIDEM (India International Institute of
for ECI intervention against this malaise. On June 8, 2010 Democracy and Electoral Management). On January 25,
the Election Commission issued an instruction to all Chief 2011 the annual National Voters' Day (NVD) was

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