Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar visits Shri Jagannath Dham with his family
Puri, December 27
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar visited the Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, on Saturday, accompanied by his family.
During his visit, the Chief Election Comissioner said that, with Shri Jagannath's blessings, he hopes to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities successfully.
"We had come to seek blessings from Shri Jagannath. Lord Jagannath blessed us, and I hope that with these blessings, I will be able to fulfil my constitutional responsibilities successfully. Odisha's art, culture, and language are among the oldest in India...," Kumar told reporters.
During his two- to three-day visit to Odisha, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said that booth-level officers (BLOs) form the backbone of India's electoral machinery.
"I have come to Odisha with my family to visit the Jagannath temple, to understand and experience the local culture, and also to meet with our booth-level officers, who are the backbone of our election campaign. We will be in Odisha for two to three days," Kumar told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
The CEC's visit underscores the Election Commission of India's focus on strengthening last-mile election management ahead of upcoming state polls across the country. During his stay, Kumar was expected to interact with election officials and BLOs to review preparedness, address operational challenges and reinforce best practices in voter services and roll management.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner of India and Chairperson of International IDEA, Gyanesh Kumar, met Ina H. Krisnamurthi, Ambassador of Indonesia to India, on Friday at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, according to an official X post from the Election Commission of India.
The X post stated, "Chief Election Commissioner of India and Chairperson International IDEA, Shri Gyanesh Kumar met H.E. Ms. Ina H. Krisnamurthi, Ambassador of Indonesia to India, today at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. @KBRI_NewDelhi."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see the focus on booth-level officers. They are the real heroes who work in the field. Hope their challenges regarding logistics and security are being addressed properly.
While seeking blessings is a personal matter, I hope the visit's primary focus remains on the official review of election preparedness. The timing before state polls is crucial. The EC must ensure absolute neutrality.
Odisha's culture is indeed ancient and beautiful. Glad he's taking the time to experience it. More officials should understand the diverse cultural fabric of India beyond Delhi and their home states.
Meeting the Indonesian ambassador and then visiting Puri – quite a schedule! Shows the EC's dual role in domestic management and international engagement. Interesting.
As a person from Odisha, I appreciate the recognition of our art and language. Hope the interaction with BLOs leads to tangible improvements for voters here, especially in remote areas.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.