Uttarakhand: CEC Gyanesh Kumar arrives at Kharsali helipad ahead of Yamunotri Temple visit
Uttarkashi, May 24
Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday arrived at the Kharsali Helipad, the primary and closest landing point for reaching the Yamunotri Dham, during his two-day visit to Uttarakhand.
The CEC will shortly depart for the Yamunotri Temple.
He was received by Chief Electoral Officer Uttarakhand BVRC Purushottam, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Uttarakhand Vijay Kumar Jogdande, District Magistrate Prashant Arya, and Superintendent of Police Kamlesh Upadhyay.
Earlier on Saturday, CEC Kumar reviewed preparations related to the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) during his two-day visit to Uttarakhand, including inspections of polling booths in Uttarkashi district near the India-China border.
The CEC inspected polling booths in Harsil and Gangotri Assembly constituency areas and interacted with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), voters, saints and local residents regarding the electoral roll revision process.
During the visit, Kumar also travelled to Gangotri Temple along with his wife, where he offered prayers and performed special puja rituals.
According to officials, Kumar held a detailed interaction with BLOs regarding SIR mapping and related procedures.
Speaking during the visit, he said Booth Level Officers were working at the grassroots level through the BLO App to identify "absent, shifted, deceased, duplicate, and foreign voters" to ensure purification of the electoral roll.
He also said efforts were being made to include all eligible citizens who had attained 18 years of age in the voter list.
Praising BLO Mintu Devi for her work, Kumar said the Election Commission salutes all Booth Level Officers engaged in the SIR exercise with commitment and sincerity. He expressed confidence that BLOs across the country would continue to work with dedication and efficiency.
During his visit to the Harsil market, Kumar also promoted local handicrafts by purchasing traditional hill caps for himself and the officials accompanying him.
He said promoting local products was an important step towards building a self-reliant India and noted that products from border regions such as Harsil were linked to local livelihoods and cultural identity
Local residents and traders welcomed the gesture, saying it would encourage artisans and cottage industries in border areas.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Offering prayers at Gangotri and buying local handicrafts - nice touch by CEC Kumar. It shows respect for our culture and supports local artisans. But I hope the focus remains on ensuring every eligible voter in remote areas gets enrolled without hassle. 🙏
Happy to see election officials visiting Uttarakhand. The 'absent, shifted, deceased, duplicate, and foreign voters' cleanup is long overdue. But the real test will be whether these efforts translate into a fair electoral roll before the next elections. Let's see if it's just a photo op or genuine work.
Interesting that the CEC is combining temple visits and handicraft buying with election work. It seems like a strategic move to connect with local sentiments in Uttarakhand. The grassroot work with BLOs is important, but I hope the focus stays on transparency and not just publicity.
CEC visiting Harsil near the China border is commendable. Our border villages need attention, and cleaning the voter rolls there is vital for national security. Also loved the bit about buying local hill caps - #VocalForLocal in action! 🇮🇳
I appreciate the CEC's effort, but why does every election official visit need to be a media event with temple visits and handicraft purchases? Just focus on the actual work - ensuring no eligible voter is left out and that bogus entries are removed. Action speaks louder than photo ops.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.