Students of Ponmudiyar Corporation school elect candidates in mock parliament election

Election to parliament was conducted for the students of Ponmudiyar Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School at the school campus here on Monday. 

The election which was conducted with the support of HCL Foundation was aimed at creating an awareness to students about the election mechanism followed in the country, said D. Sahaya Mary, teacher in-charge for the election.  

Though mock parliament sessions were being conducted for the last five years, the school administration thought it would be best to introduce elections too from this year, she added.  

“As many as 750 students took part in the election to poll for 19 candidates. A total of 40 members from grades VI to IX already exist as parliament members. 19 of the students from the 40, based on their interest, were selected as candidates,” she noted.  

Further, akin to the conventional election procedure, the candidates based on the number of votes received, would be selected for the post of Prime Minister and the council of ministers, Ms. Sahaya Mary stated.  

The selected candidates, to relieve them of the fear of public speaking, were made to campaign in front of the students during daily morning prayers.  

She observed that by making students speak in front of the crowd they would automatically put in an effort to speak on the subject. 

“As the process brings in several aspects in the development of students it would enhance their interest in the subjects of politics and society,” she noted.  

The ballots would be counted on Thursday and in the parliament sessions that follows it, the students elected as Prime Minister and Speaker would head all the proceedings in the year.