Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar declared on Sunday that Telangana is poised to demonstrate to the entire nation the ideal way to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He cited the recently concluded exercise in Bihar as the gold standard to emulate.
Booth Level Officers: The Backbone of Democracy
Addressing a gathering of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Hyderabad, CEC Kumar emphasized their pivotal role. "You (BLOs) form the backbone of India's electoral system," he stated, adding that the success of voter list purification hinges entirely on their diligence and integrity. He reminded the officers that the global community keenly observes Indian elections to understand the workings of the world's largest democracy.
Kumar asserted that once the roll purification is complete, Telangana—a state he noted is demographically larger than Canada—will usher in a new era of electoral administration. He lauded the Bihar SIR, a massive undertaking executed flawlessly, which enabled approximately 7.5 crore voters to participate in the recent assembly elections. The process recorded zero complaints, zero re-polling, and zero recounting, setting a high national bar for which he congratulated Bihar's BLOs.
Addressing Urban Apathy and Legal Framework
The CEC identified urban voter apathy as a key factor behind low polling percentages in cities, contrasting it with the consistently high turnout in rural areas. He reiterated that elections in India are conducted strictly according to the law, and all stakeholders are bound to comply with election regulations.
India's Growing Stature in Global Democracy
In a significant highlight, Kumar mentioned that India recently assumed the chairmanship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). This move, coming nearly three decades after India became a member in 1995, reflects global recognition of the Election Commission of India as one of the world's most credible and innovative election management bodies.
To underscore the scale of India's democratic endeavor, he shared that the country has more than 90 crore electors spread across 28 states and eight Union Territories.
Earlier in the event, Telangana's Chief Electoral Officer, C Sudarshan Reddy, presented key statistics about the state, including the total number of voters, districts, MLAs, and the constituency map.
