Kolkata, March 27: Ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified its voter awareness campaign across West Bengal. As part of this initiative, a bicycle rally titled “Election Festival, Pride of West Bengal” was organized in Howrah, with participation from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and District Electoral Officer (DEO).
Officials associated with the Election Commission actively participated in the oath-taking ceremony at the Howrah Bridge. The DEO and the Howrah Police Commissioner flagged off the bicycle rally, which saw a significant turnout of school and college students, along with first-time voters.
The rally commenced at 7:00 AM from the Howrah Bridge check post and concluded at the Ramkrishnapur ferry ghat, passing by the Rail Museum. Following the rally, cultural programs were held, featuring folk songs, dances, and plays that conveyed the importance of voting and the electoral celebration. Additionally, other voter awareness initiatives, such as the voter awareness boat ferry, were launched.
A major highlight of the event was the participation of popular animated characters “Chhota Bheem” and “Chutki,” who aimed to raise awareness among the youth and first-time voters.
Ashish Goyal, the media in-charge of the Election Commission, stated, “Today’s event is part of our organized voter education and electoral participation (SWEEP) program, focusing on voter awareness. We aim to celebrate the West Bengal assembly elections like a festival.”
The Election Commission, in a press release, emphasized that the voter awareness campaign aims to educate and inform voters about the significance of voting. It also seeks to provide essential information about polling stations and the schedule for voting day. These efforts are particularly aimed at increasing participation among urban voters, women, differently-abled voters, youth, and first-time voters.
The Commission added, “Through these programs, we will also highlight the recent measures implemented by the ECI. Awareness will be raised through Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELC) in colleges and universities across the state to encourage first-time and young voters. An effective social media campaign will also be launched to engage youth, showcasing the state’s cultural essence. This campaign’s reach will be further strengthened through collaborations with government departments and corporate organizations.”
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