Exhibition impresses kids

CHENNAI: ‘India and its Elections’, a photographic journey through an exhibition was inaugurated as part of the National Voters’ Day celebrations at the Chennai Girls High Secondary School here on Wednesday.The exhibition was  jointly inaugurated by  Chief Metropolitan Judge Jayanthi and Ravindran, Additional Director General, Press Information Bureau.The exhibition took the onlookers on the journey right from the beginning of the elections and the institutionalisation of the Election Commission.It also walked one through the evolution of elections from ballot papers to Electronic Voting  Machines.In addition, it had various details pertaining to elections. These were of interest to  school  students who wished to know when they would be allowed to cast their votes and the requirements for the same.  The complete exhibition had answers to the FAQs of the kids who were present at the exhibition.The curious kids also got to know about the dispatch of election-related  material through to the far end of the country where the  only mode of transport was either head-load or hand-load.There were a few pictures which portrayed the transit of these materials in boats and people lining up in long queues to exercise their franchise.There was another photograph which portrayed an elderly person being carried to an election booth to cast her vote.Overall, there were around 50 displays which had multiple photographs carrying different messages and information in text.Addressing the students, the judge explained how the amendment to the Constitution to lower the age for voting to 18 from  21 came about. It was achieved through the sixty-first amendment to the article 361 of the  Constitution, she pointed out.The judge also advised the students to press their parents for inclusion of their names into the electoral rolls soon after they turn 18. Further, she also suggested to the students to sensitise their parents  and neighbours on their  birth right and to exercise their franchise, which was considered as  both a responsibility and duty.Ravindran, who spoke on the occasion, urged the  students not to forget their responsibility in the electoral process. Krishnaveni, the head of the School, echoed the views of the judge and the Additional Director General of PIB.There were short plays and variety entertainment on the theme National Voters’ Day for the guests. The one-day exhibition drew a lot of crowd  from the neighbourhood schools.