Para-Cyclist Rakesh Banik Leads Multi-District Voter Awareness Ride Across Assam

Noted para-cyclist Rakesh Banik is riding across Assam to encourage people to vote, leading a multi-district cycling campaign under the Election Commission's Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme ahead of the April 9 assembly elections.

The initiative was flagged off from Nagaon on March 28 and has since covered a wide sweep of the state.

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The cycling campaign has taken Banik through ten districts — Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Biswanath — in addition to the starting point of Nagaon.

At each stop, Banik interacted with local residents and conducted awareness activities aimed at promoting informed and ethical voting, connecting with people directly at the grassroots level.

Banik is well known for undertaking long-distance cycling expeditions in support of social causes. He has previously completed international rides to highlight Assam's cultural heritage and raise awareness against wildlife crimes, making him a fitting ambassador for a campaign focused on civic engagement.

Officials said the campaign specifically targets groups that are often underrepresented at the polling booth — persons with disabilities, first-time voters, women, and residents of remote areas.

The SVEEP programme, implemented by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Assam, has been rolling out a range of innovative outreach methods this election cycle with the aim of driving up voter turnout and ensuring that participation in the democratic process is as wide and informed as possible.