It’s election season, and political parties have already started wooing people for votes. Amidst many appeals and promises from politicians, Gurgaon residents are also being asked to exercise their vote by celebrities. The difference is that these celebs are not asking votes for any party. As part of the Election Commission of India’s SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) campaign, the Gurgaon district administration has roped in celebrities with a Gurgaon connect, like boxer Vijender Singh and actress Meghna Malik , to appeal to the voters. The celebs are sending video messages, urging people to exercise their right to vote while some will also be joining the on-ground activities planned by the administration.Meghna MalikMohammad Imran Raza, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gurgaon) and the nodal officer for SVEEP in the district, tells us, “We are trying to reach out to all voters in the constituency and which is why we felt the need to involve these prominent personalities and influencers.” The administration has been putting out the video messages from some celebs on social media and is planning on-ground activities such as graffiti paintings and town halls where the celebs will interact with the voters personally.Body builder Lokesh RajputOther celebrities who are a part of the SVEEP campaign in Gurgaon are Shivangi Pathak, the youngest Indian to summit Mt Everest, and Lokesh Rajput, who is a bodybuilder. Officials say that they are also trying to get Haryana cricketers like Yuzvendra Chahal and others involved in the campaign due to their mass appeal, but are unable to work around the ongoing cricket season.Getting celebs for voter awareness drives in Gurgaon isn’t a new concept. In 2017, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) had roped in actor and Gurgaon boy Rajkummar Rao as the brand ambassador of the civic polls in the district that year. Instead of posting just videos, the actor had come down to Gurgaon and met voters. Officials are hoping to replicate the same model this year too, but with different celebrities.Shivangi Pathak, the youngest Indian to summit Mt Everest, have recorded videos urging people to voteIt should be noted that Gurgaon has always lagged behind in the region when it comes to voter turnout. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Gurgaon Lok Sabha constituency registered a turnout of 66.97% against the national average of 72.78%. Even the neighbouring constituencies of Sohna and Pataudi were far ahead of Gurgaon with 75.88% and 73.21% voter turnout, respectively. Gurgaon, along with the rest of Haryana, goes to polls on April 12.

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