CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s UP Youth Events Postponed Amid SIR Row; ECI Says Decision Unrelated To Controversy
had two voter awareness programmes in Uttar Pradesh but they have been postponed for now. The Election Commission said that the decision was taken prior to the recent controversy about the working of the poll panel.
The Electoral Literacy Club (ELC) of the Election Commission of India (ECI) had organized the programmes in Meerut and Varanasi. The programme in Meerut was expected to be held on 25 Sept and the another programme for the young voters was scheduled in Varanasi on 28 Sept.
The ECI, however, has rejected any connection between the postponement and the ongoing controversy surrounding the functioning of the poll panel.
The two programmes were rescheduled on Sept 21 and informed to the relevant officials on the same day, an ECI official said.
The official said postponements of such events can occur for several reasons, including venue availability, the schedules of senior officials, weather conditions and other natural factors.
What Are Electoral Literacy Club Programmes?
The Electoral Literacy Clubs form part of the Election Commission’s voter-awareness efforts and are primarily established in schools and colleges.
The initiative aims to familiarise students and first-time voters with the electoral process, including voter registration, voting, counting and the functioning of the Election Commission.
The ongoing ELC 2.0 campaign is being conducted through regional programmes across different states.
The Uttar Pradesh events were also intended to allow young and first-time voters to interact with senior election officials and learn about voter-related services and the ECI’s digital platforms.
The outreach assumes added significance as Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to hold its next Assembly election in 2027.
Why Has The Postponement Drawn Attention?
The decision to postpone the two events comes amid questions over reported differences within the three-member Election Commission.
A recent report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period.
According to the report, the objections related to matters including voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes involving Form 6 and the management of electoral-roll data.
The report has triggered political criticism and renewed debate over the functioning of the constitutional poll body.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected suggestions that the reported differences indicate that its decisions were not unanimous.
The ECI has maintained that decisions, including those concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were approved by all three commissioners. It has also said that differences of opinion and suggestions during internal deliberations are part of the functioning of a multi-member constitutional institution.
ELC Events Have Been Rescheduled Before
Officials have also pointed out that postponing or changing the dates of Electoral Literacy Club conferences is not unprecedented.
Many such programs have been rescheduled in other states and UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Uttarakhand.
The two Uttar Pradesh programmes have been delayed, but not canceled, as this does not cancel the broader ELC campaign. The events in Meerut and Varanasi have been postponed till now, and no new dates were yet to be announced.
The development comes after the Election Commission’s various initiatives to ensure awareness of voters on the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly election in 2027, particularly for the youth and first-time voters.
