CEC Gyanesh Kumar to visit Telangana and AP to meet booth-level officers, check poll procedures

Hyderabad: On a three-day visit to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is scheduled meet the booth-level officers and assess the feedback from his staff on the election process in the states.

With the Congress government collecting 12 lakh signatures in Telangana against vote chori and the subsequent rally in Delhi, the touring of Gyanesh Kumar in the state of Telangana for administrative purposes is being closely watched.

Heritage visits and officials meeting

According to the official timeline, the CEC will be participating in the following activities:

Interacting with Ground Staff: A major highlight of the visit is a scheduled meeting with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from across Telangana at the Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium in Hyderabad. This interaction is part of the Election Commission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the electoral process at the grassroots level.

Heritage Visits: During his stay in Hyderabad, the CEC is expected to visit iconic landmarks, including the Golconda Fort, Charminar and the Salar Jung Museum.

Devotional Visit to Srisailam: Gyanesh Kumar will travel to Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, later this evening. He is scheduled to participate in the Maha Aarti and have a darshan of Mallikarjuna Swamy in the early hours of Saturday. Officials clarified that the Andhra Pradesh leg of the trip is purely religious, with no administrative meetings scheduled there.

Why is the CEC visiting Telangana and Andhra Pradesh?

While the visit has been described as a mix of official and devotional, it carries significant administrative weight for the region:

1. Strengthening Grassroots Election Management (Telangana): The CEC’s primary official goal in Telangana is to meet with Booth Level Officers (BLOs). These officers are the fundamental link between the Election Commission and the voters. By interacting with them directly, the CEC aims to:

- Review the progress of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

- Gather feedback on technological advancements used in voter registration.

- Motivate ground staff following the successful conduct of recent local body polls (Panchayat elections) in the state.

2. Strategic Review of Regional Preparedness: As the 26th Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, after taking office in February 2025, has focused on voter rolls, leading to Special Intensive Revision. While the department maintains that it is his firsthand visit to evaluate the electoral process.

The Opposition has been highly critical of his style of working and they find him and the Election Commission of India (ECI) aiding the Central government in compromising the democratic institution of elections.

A highly controversial figure, his visit to the Telugu states is being closely watched by political and social observers.