Corpn fields ‘Vaakku Vaathiyar’ to clarify poll-related doubts

“Coming soon: Your online election awareness teacher, Namma Vaakku Vaathiyar. He will guide, advise and help you on everything related to elections,” Meghanath Reddy, Deputy Commissioner (revenue and finance) of Chennai Corporation tweeted.

Another official explained that awareness videos regarding electoral roll, model code of conduct and other election related topics would be uploaded online. The awareness videos will have an animated character, Vaakku Vaathiyar, explaining the election process.

“The initiative will attract young voters, as they can learn in a fun way. Videos will be posted in a few days. This is a part of systematic voters’ education and electoral participation (SVEEP) programme,” the official added.

Recently, the civic body had launched a character named ‘Vari Kumar’ to create awareness about paying property tax on time. “Vari Kumar was a hit among the netizens as many youngsters talked about Vari Kumar. The character also taught the citizens about new facilities made available for paying the tax online,” the official said. Voters can also visit the Election Commission of India (ECI) website or contact 1950 toll-free number to get election related details.