Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s visits to Meerut and Varanasi have been postponed. Senior Election Commission sources said the decision was taken on September 21 and had no connection with the controversy over reported differences within the poll panel.
The sources said district authorities in both Uttar Pradesh cities were informed by email. They said the visits were rescheduled because of logistical and local factors, as well as changes to the CEC’s official commitments.
ROW OVER POLL PANEL DECISIONS
The development comes amid reports of dissent within the Election Commission.
An Indian Express investigation said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections to decisions on electoral rolls 14 times between October 2025 and August 2026.
These included decisions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), voter enrolment and deletion, appeals and access to the Commission’s voter data software.
The three-member Commission continued to hold joint public briefings during that period. Sandhu and Joshi did not raise their objections at those events.
Separately, the Economic Times reported that the Commission has not carried out a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls since the 2024 cycle. The exercise allows newly eligible voters, including those turning 18, to enrol. The Congress has criticised the delay.
COMMISSION EXPLAINS POSTPONEMENT
The sources said such events can draw up to 1,000 young people, so their timing depends on weather, local conditions and available resources. Some programmes were also deferred because of the Chief Election Commissioner’s trip to Bhutan.
Responding to reports that a visit can cost up to Rs 1.5 crore, the sources said the expense is incurred only when an event takes place.
Commission sources said visits to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Ladakh had also been deferred. The Himachal Pradesh programme was put off because of the tourist season and examinations.
A youth interaction in Uttarakhand will be held after the SIR is completed, while the Ladakh programme was postponed following the Mansarovar disaster.
