25-01-2025 : 16th National Voters’ Day Programme organised at Lok Bhavan.
Lok Bhavan Uttarakhand-Information Wing
Press Note
Voting is not merely a right, but a moral and constitutional duty of every citizen: Governor
16th National Voters’ Day Programme organised at Lok Bhavan
Governor honours District Magistrates and EROs for outstanding performance
Lok Bhavan Dehradun 25 January, 2026
The State-level 16th National Voters’ Day programme was organised on Sunday at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun. The programme was graced by the Governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.), as the Chief Guest. Also present on the dais were Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan, Secretary (Elections) Shri Dilip Jawalkar, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dr Vijay Kumar Jogdande, and District Magistrate, Dehradun, Shri Savin Bansal.
The Governor inaugurated the programme by lighting the ceremonial lamp and administered the Voters’ Pledge to the citizens present. On this occasion, the Governor honoured the District Magistrates of Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Champawat and Bageshwar for outstanding performance in election-related activities. Additionally, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) of Roorkee, Khatima and Chakrata were felicitated for exemplary work during the Pre-SIR process.
During the programme, State Icons Padma Shri Basanti Bisht, Olympian Manish Rawat and Nunshi Malik were honoured with mementoes. Newly enrolled voters who had attained the age of 18 years in Dehradun district were also felicitated by the Governor by distributing voter identity cards.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor extended his greetings to all citizens on the occasion of National Voters’ Day. He stated that the greatest strength of democracy lies in aware, vigilant and active citizens. The Indian Constitution has entrusted citizens with the responsibility of strengthening democracy by granting them the right to vote. He emphasised that voting is not merely a right, but a moral and constitutional duty of every citizen.
The Governor appealed to all citizens to compulsorily exercise their franchise in every election and actively contribute to strengthening democracy. He said that when every citizen votes, Indian democracy becomes stronger and more resilient.
Referring to this year’s theme, “My India – My Vote”, the Governor said that every single vote plays a decisive role in shaping the future of the nation. Voting is not just a personal act, but a decision taken on behalf of future generations. He underlined that the strength of democracy depends not merely on institutions or policies, but on the conscious participation of citizens.
The Governor appreciated the Election Commission of India for successfully conducting free, fair and transparent elections for over seven decades. He also commended election officials, employees and security forces for ensuring the smooth conduct of the democratic process. Addressing the youth and new voters, he said that youth power is the nation’s greatest asset and urged them to view voting not as a formality, but as a means of nation-building.
Despite the challenging geographical conditions of Uttarakhand, the Governor lauded the efforts of the state’s election machinery, BLOs and polling personnel for successfully conducting elections.
On this occasion, Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan highlighted the importance of voting in a democracy. Secretary (Elections) Shri Dilip Jawalkar stated that an alert voter is the foundation of a prosperous nation. At the conclusion of the programme, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dr Vijay Kumar Jogdande expressed gratitude to the Governor and thanked all dignitaries and participants.
Among those present were Assistant Chief Electoral Officer Shri Mastu Das, CDO Dehradun Shri Abhinav Shah, CDO Champawat Shri G.S. Khati, and ADM Champawat Smt Mukta Mishra, along with other officials.
State Award Recipients:
1. Shri Prateek Jain, District Magistrate, Rudraprayag
2. Shri Prashant Arya, District Magistrate, Uttarkashi
3. Shri Manish Kumar, District Magistrate, Champawat
4. Smt Akanksha Konde, District Magistrate, Bageshwar
5. Shri Deepak Ramchandra, Joint Magistrate, Roorkee
6. Shri Tushar Saini, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Khatima
7.Shri Prem Lal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Chakrata
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