CEC Gyanesh Kumar reviews border polling booths in Uttarkashi, inspects SIR preparedness in Harsil
Dehradun, May 23
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday reached Uttarkashi to review polling booths in the border district and assess the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as part of his two-day visit to Uttarakhand.
Upon his arrival, the CEC was received at the border helipad in Jhala by Chief Electoral Officer Uttarakhand Dr BVRC Purushottam and Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Mukta Mishra. He was welcomed with a sapling presentation, officials said.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar travelled from Dehradun to Uttarkashi on Saturday as part of his field inspection programme aimed at evaluating electoral preparedness in remote and strategically significant border areas.
The visit is aimed at assessing on-ground electoral preparedness, particularly in remote and border polling stations, and reviewing arrangements related to the ongoing electoral roll revision exercise under the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Earlier on May 13, Gyanesh Kumar had urged citizens to participate enthusiastically in Phase III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 States and three Union Territories, calling it a crucial step to ensure a "pure and error-free" voter list.
"I appeal to all electors to enthusiastically participate in Phase III of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and fill their Enumeration Forms. SIR is being conducted with the objective to ensure that only eligible voters are included in the electoral roll and no ineligible names are included," the CEC had said.
The Election Commission of India has launched Phase-III of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls covering more than 36 crore electors across 16 States and three Union Territories in a phased manner.
According to the press note issued by the Commission, the exercise has been planned in coordination with the ongoing house listing component of the Census to ensure optimal use of field machinery.
It further stated that the revision will cover the entire country under Phase-III, except Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, where the schedule will be announced separately.
"After considering the completion of Phase-ll of the Census in these three State/UTs and due consideration of the weather in the upper reaches/snow-bound areas, the SIR schedule for these three State/UTs will be announced later," it added.
The poll body said that over 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will carry out house-to-house verification work, supported by 3.42 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties during the enumeration phase.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, why is Himachal Pradesh and J&K excluded from this phase? Weather is an excuse—if Ladakh can have elections in snow, so can others. Feels like selective implementation. The CEC should ensure uniform application across all states, not just convenient ones.
Border polling booths are strategically important—every vote from Uttarkashi sends a message of national solidarity. CEC's visit shows the government is serious about including even the most remote voters. But I hope they also address the poor road connectivity that prevents many from reaching booths. 🚁
Interesting to see the coordination with Census house listing. That could actually double-check data accuracy. But I'm wary—if Census and electoral rolls are merged, there's a risk of privacy breaches. Hope the ECI has proper safeguards in place for personal information.
The CEC's appeal is nice, but ground reality is different. Many people in border villages don't even have proper ID proof. Booth Level Officers should be trained to assist voters in getting documents, not just verify lists. Otherwise, "pure and error-free" list excludes the genuinely eligible.
Why is this news not getting more coverage? Uttarkashi is a border district—polling there has national security implications. Glad the CEC is personally inspecting, but I wish the media would focus on such grassroots preparedness rather than just big rallies. 🇮🇳
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