With only a few days left before polling, election campaigning had reached its final stage. Alongside political campaigns, the District Election Office launched a unique voter awareness initiative through Human Puppet Theatre.

The programme was organized in various parts of the Rampurhat subdivision to educate voters about the electoral process and encourage responsible voting. The performances highlighted important issues such as:

• The use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs.
• Facilities available for differently-abled voters.
• The importance of voter identity cards.
• How and where voters can submit complaints regarding election-related issues.
• The significance of casting votes without fear or influence.

The performances were conducted by artists of Birbhum Sanskriti Bahini, Lavpur. The group’s director Ujjal Mukhopadhyay stated that the District Election Office had undertaken this initiative to spread voter awareness through the medium of theatre.

A team of 12 artists participated in the performances. Beginning on 6 April, the Human Puppet Theatre campaign traveled across various blocks of the district. Up to the date of publication, performances had already been conducted in numerous locations, with additional programmes scheduled in other blocks.

Speaking at one of the performances in Rampurhat Block-I, Ujjal Mukhopadhyay said that the campaign had already covered several blocks, including Suri Blocks I & II, Mohammad Bazar Block, Bolpur Sriniketan Block, and others. Every location had received a positive response from local residents.

The article notes that villagers and local audiences watched the performances with great interest. Through engaging storytelling and visual presentation, the Human Puppet Theatre effectively communicated election-related information in a simple and accessible manner.

The campaign visited villages such as Basidia, Dighalgram, Rajnagar, Alol Bandyopadhyay area, Mukhopadhyaypara, and several others. According to the report, the innovative format helped people understand voting procedures, voter rights, and complaint mechanisms more clearly.

The article concludes that the Human Puppet Theatre proved to be an effective tool for increasing voter awareness and encouraging informed participation in the democratic process.