Bhopal, July 4 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Indore on Saturday on his first official visit to Madhya Pradesh after assuming office.

He was welcomed at the airport by senior election officials and members of the district administration before beginning a day-long programme focused on strengthening coordination with grassroots election machinery.

The CEC was received by Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar Jha, Joint Chief Electoral Officer R.P.S. Jadon, Indore Divisional Commissioner Sudam Khade, Police Commissioner Santosh Singh, Indore Collector Shivam Verma and Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal.

After his arrival, Gyanesh Kumar paid floral tributes at the ‘Gadi’ (‘throne’ or seat of power) of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar located at the airport premises.

The highlight of the visit is his interaction with more than 1,500 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) at the Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium in Indore.

The conference has brought together BLOs from Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar and Khandwa districts.

According to the Madhya Pradesh government, the interaction has been organised to enable the Election Commission to directly engage with Booth Level Officers, understand the challenges they face during election-related work and seek their suggestions for further strengthening the electoral process.

“Booth Level Officers form the backbone of India’s election machinery. They are responsible for maintaining electoral rolls, assisting voters and ensuring the smooth conduct of polling at the grassroots level,” the state government said in a statement.

The visit is significant as Gyanesh Kumar has initiated direct interactions with Booth Level Officers and election personnel after taking over as the Chief Election Commissioner.

The Election Commission had earlier organised a similar programme in Delhi as part of its outreach to field-level officials.

After the conference, the CEC is scheduled to visit the Omkareshwar Temple, where he will offer prayers and perform rituals on the banks of the Narmada river.

He will also visit the historic Maheshwar Fort before returning to Indore.

Gyanesh Kumar is scheduled to leave for New Delhi later on Sunday after concluding his engagements in Madhya Pradesh.

–IANS

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