Aligarh: The faculty members, students and staff at the Aligarh Muslim University enthusiastically participated in the National Voter’s Day-related programmes held at different departments, schools and offices to create awareness among the university fraternity to sensitize them about their democratic responsibility to cast their votes free from any fear or greed.

The AMU Registrar Mohd Imran administered a pledge to the staff members at the Conference Room, Administrative Block and urged them to ‘uphold the democratic traditions of our country and the dignity of free, fair and peaceful elections, and vote in every election fearlessly and without being influenced by considerations of religion, race, caste, community, language or any inducement’.

At the Department of Pharmacology, the pledge was administered by the Chairman Prof Syed Ziaur Rahman, while the staff members of Central Automobile Workshop and Transport took a pledge conducted by the Member In-charge Prof Mohd Ali.

The faculty members, research scholars and students at the Department of English observed the day with fervour and took the pledge under the leadership of the Chairperson, Prof Shaheena Tarannum, who also highlighted the significance of the day and stressed the role of every adult citizen in India to uphold and strengthen the democratic framework of the country.

At the Department of Linguistics, Dr Pallav Vishnu administered the voter’s pledge and urged the students to help raise awareness in society, stressing the importance of casting a vote in an election.

The officiating Principal, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh AMU City School, Dr Mohd Faiyazuddin administered the voter’s pledge to the students and teachers, while Dr Naila Rashid, Principal, Ahmadi School for the Visually Challenged observed the day by taking the pledge and Nudrat Jahan explained the rights and duties to the students as mentioned in the Constitution of India.

The AMU ABK High School students engaged in various literary and cultural activities marking the day, including holding a special assembly, speeches in three languages, poem recitation, slogan writing on the theme ‘Nothing like voting, I vote for sure’ and motivational speech by the Principal Dr Samina, who also administered the voter’s pledge.

At the Abdullah School, Superintendent Umra Zaheer took the pledge along with the teaching and non-teaching staff and urged all to cast their vote and use their right to adult suffrage with utmost responsibility.

Prof Uzma Eram administered the pledge followed by the interns and staff at the RHTC. Dr Shazia Farooq Fazli, Provost, Begum Sultan Jahan Hall administered the pledge to the students and staff and urged them to actively participate in the political process of the country that would strengthen the democratic setup of the country.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohd Arif Khan of the Department of Social Work, who is also the District Coordinator of Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation, was felicitated by the District Magistrate of Aligarh Sanjiv Ranjan at the Collectorate Hall, in recognition of his contribution towards educating the youth according to the national strategy for SVEEP.

National Voter’s Day was also observed at other departments, schools and offices with pledge-taking ceremonies and the involvement of students in various literary and cultural activities.