Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday, 2 June visited the Kailash Mahadev Temple in Agra with his family, offered prayers according to traditional rituals, and used the occasion to appeal to citizens across the country to obtain voter ID cards and actively participate in the democratic process.

What the CEC Said

Speaking to reporters after the temple visit, Kumar said, 'After the successful conduct of elections in five states, my wife Anuradha and I have come to our hometown, Agra, to seek the blessings of our parents.'

He added, 'After receiving our parents' blessings, I visited the Kailash Mahadev Temple and sought the blessings of Lord Mahadev. Through your platform, I would like to appeal to all voters to obtain their voter ID cards and actively participate in the democratic process. Clean electoral rolls are the basis of transparent voting. Every citizen should come forward and exercise their right to vote.'

Five-State Election Cycle Concluded

The visit follows the conclusion of a significant election cycle overseen by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Assembly elections were held across four states and one union territory: polling in West Bengal took place on 23 April and 29 April; Tamil Nadu voted on 23 April; and Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry went to the polls on 9 April. Counting of votes for all five regions was conducted on 4 May.

Kumar Defends Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

Earlier on Sunday, Kumar had defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that the exercise had produced some of the most accurate voter lists in the world. His remarks came amid criticism from opposition parties and shortly after the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the process.

According to Kumar, the revision ensured every eligible voter was included while ineligible entries were removed. He described the updated rolls as among the 'purest and most accurate' electoral databases globally.

Supreme Court Endorses the Exercise

The Supreme Court's endorsement came through a judgment delivered on 27 May by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The court observed that the SIR exercise strengthened the constitutional principle of free and fair elections, and found the Election Commission's measures to be lawful, proportionate, and supported by adequate procedural safeguards.

Scale of the Revision Process

Kumar highlighted that the revision was conducted under extensive supervision, involving more than 1.5 million booth-level agents as well as district and state-level representatives of national and regional political parties. The broad-based oversight, he argued, ensured transparency throughout the exercise. With electoral roll accuracy now backed by a Supreme Court ruling, the Commission appears to be using every public platform — including temple visits — to reinforce voter participation ahead of future polls.