Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan on Monday said that the right to vote, which is a powerful instrument in the hands of people and makes them sentinels of the noble tradition of democracy, should not be exercised just mechanically.

“The right to vote is the mother of all political rights provided under the Constitution. Every citizen of the country, including youth, should feel proud of performing their respective Constitutional duties as this will ensure their meaningful participation and significant contribution to the growth of the nation and the society,” said Harichandan.

He called for the new and young voters to come forward and actively participate in the celebration of our democracy and said that the actual participation and exercise of the right to vote would empower and enable youth to contribute for the welfare of the society.

“In a democracy, voters are not subject to any pressure or fear and they are free to choose the candidate of their choice and advised youth to come forward and register themselves as voters once they become eligible,” said the Governor at the programme held at the durbar hall in the Raj Bhavan to commemorate the 11th national voters day.

K. Vijayanand, chief electoral officer, said that the voters day is being celebrated all over the country with the theme ‘make our voters empowered, vigilant, safe and informed’.

He said voters day is celebrated on January 25, a day on which the Election Commission of India (ECI) was constituted in 1950.

Vijayanand said that the final electoral rolls for AP were published on January 15.

Later, Harichandan presented awards to Visakhapatnam collector V. Vinay Chand, Vizianagaram collector M. Hari Jawahar Lal and other officials.