Patna, May 18 (IANS) As part of his four-day visit to Bihar ahead of the 2025 Legislative Assembly Elections, Election Commissioner of India (ECI) Vivek Joshi conducted a high-level review meeting in Valmiki Nagar on Sunday, focusing on electoral preparedness in the sensitive India-Nepal border region.

The meeting was attended by top officials of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Forest Department, and District Administration.

It commenced with a detailed PowerPoint presentation by the SSB, outlining surveillance operations and border security measures in place to ensure free and fair elections.

Joshi emphasised the strategic importance of the border districts and underlined the need for coordinated inter-agency action to facilitate secure and inclusive elections.

“Effective participation of voters in border regions is critical, and surveillance must be complemented by outreach and administrative preparedness,” he stated.

The Election Commissioner directed the SSB to intensify coordination with local police and district authorities, while also suggesting that the additional manpower available with the force be deployed for election-related duties.

Commending the successful conduct of previous elections in the region, Joshi acknowledged the synergy among the SSB, Forest Department, Police, and District Administration.

He also interacted with Tharu tribal artists, appreciating their cultural contributions as a vibrant part of the region’s democratic ethos.

Joshi later visited polling stations 14 to 17 located at Government Middle School, Bagaha-2, under the Valmikinagar Assembly Constituency.

He also held discussions with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), focusing on voter awareness and the impact of recent training sessions.

The BLOs informed the ECi that training conducted in New Delhi by the Election Commission of India has significantly improved their preparedness and confidence.

Joshi urged the Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gujiyal to ensure that such training sessions across Bihar maintain a strong focus on legal literacy, technical competence, and transparency.

He further emphasised the importance of the active participation of Booth Level Agents from political parties, along with BLOs, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Assistant EROs to ensure procedural integrity at the booth level.

Joshi expressed satisfaction with the district’s poll preparedness, noting that West Champaran’s voter turnout has been consistently higher than the state average.

He encouraged the local administration to launch creative and targeted voter outreach initiatives to further boost participation.

“This visit was crucial to understanding electoral dynamics at the grassroots level. I appreciate the proactive cooperation of district officials, and I have directed the formation of dedicated teams for high-quality election management,” Joshi said.

After wrapping up his engagements in Valmiki Nagar, the Election Commissioner departed for East Champaran (Motihari) and is scheduled to return to New Delhi tomorrow via Vaishali and Patna.

–IANS

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