Rahul Dravid to bat for voting in Karnataka assembly polls

Bengaluru, March 29 - Former Indian cricket captain and sports icon, Rahul Dravid will urge the people of Karnataka to vote in the state assembly elections on May 12 through awareness campaigns by the Election Commission, in a bid to ensure a high turnout, an official said.

"Through 30-second long video messages that will be telecast on television channels and posters and hoardings that will be put up across the state, Dravid will encourage more people to vote for the state assembly polls," an official from the state poll panel told IANS here.

Campaign posters which read "Play fair, make democracy win. Let's say yes to ethical elections", "Cast your vote, make democracy win" and few other slogans in English and Kannada were released here on Wednesday by the Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar.

"With nearly 15, 42,000 first-time voters (aged 18-19) registered to cast their vote in the ensuing elections, Dravid, who has an appeal among the youth, can help in bringing them to pool booths," said the poll panel.

After the EC's announcement on Tuesday that polling for the 225-member assembly will be held on May 12 and votes counted on May 25, the CEO said the poll panel was placing emphasis on increasing awareness among the people of the state to come to vote.

Through ramps and wheelchair facilities for the disabled and a special drive to register primitive tribes and nomadic tribes from the state, the poll panel aims at seeing a higher voter turn out on May 12.

A total of 4.96 crore electors have been registered in the state so far.

Renowned Kannada film director and lyricist Yograj Bhat is also making an election anthem for the EC, aiming to increase voter turnout and raiseAawareness on ethical voting. The anthem is yet to be released.

IANS