The Hindu: Hockey players take part in voter awareness run

Ramanathapuram

It was the turn of hockey players who were camping here for the senior men inter-district hockey championship, to take part in the SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) activity, aimed at 100 per cent polling in the May 16 Assembly elections.

The players from 14 different districts, who arrived here on Sunday and staying at the Sethupathy Seethakathi Sports Stadium, took part in a mini-marathon from new bus stand, after District Election Officer and Collector S. Natarajan flagged off the run in the presence of Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan on Monday.

Excitement ran high as the Collector, who led the marathon, started running along with the players and inmates of sports hostel for some distance. Former Olympian V.J. Phillips, Hockey unit of Tamil Nadu president A. Chelladurai Abdullah and Revenue Divisional Officer Rama Pradeepan also ran with the Collector amid cheer.

“We involve all sections of the society to convey the message loud and clear that all the voters should discharge their democratic duty by exercising their franchise in the Assembly elections,” the Collector said. Paramakudi Sub Collector G S Sameeran, Assistant Superintendent of Police S. Sarvesh Raj and District Revenue Officer M. Ali Akbar took part in the mini-marathon. After Election Commission announced poll schedule, the Collector had been organising a series of SVEEP activities involving students, public, members of self- help groups and staff of all government departments with focus in areas which witnessed low turnouts in previous elections.