This comes two days after the reported differences within the Election Commission over the conduct of the SIR and two Election Commissioners writing to the Cabinet Secretary about the conduct of an EC officer.
Published: September 25, 2026, 12:37 PM IST
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CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s UP youth events postponed amid SIR row; ECI denies link to controversy, reasons ‘various factors’ (PTI/File)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed two voter-awareness programmes in Uttar Pradesh that were scheduled to be addressed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh KumarThe programmes were planned in Meerut and Varanasi as part of the Election Commission’s Electoral Literacy Club (ELC) initiativeThe Meerut event was scheduled for September 25, while a similar programme involving young voters was planned in Varanasi on September 28.
The ECI, however, has said that the postponement is not connected to the controversy surrounding the functioning of the poll panelAccording to an official, the decision to change the dates was taken on September 21 itself and was communicated to the concerned officials on the same day.
The official said such changes are not unusual and can happen because of several reasons, including the availability of venues, the schedules of senior officials and weather or other natural factors.
What are the ELC programmes?
Electoral Literacy Clubs are part of the Election Commission’s voter-awareness programmeThey are mainly set up in schools and colleges to help students and first-time voters understand how elections work.
The programmes cover topics such as voter registration, voting, counting and the role of the Election CommissionThe current ELC 2.0 campaign is being conducted through regional events in different states.
The UP programmes were also expected to give young voters an opportunity to interact with senior election officials and learn about voter services, including the ECI’s digital platformsThe Commission has been expanding its youth outreach as Uttar Pradesh prepares for its next Assembly election.
Why has the postponement drawn attention?
The decision comes at a time when the Election Commission is facing questions over reported differences among its three members.
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 period of 10 monthsThe reported objections covered issues related to voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6 and the handling of electoral-roll data.
The report has led to political criticism and renewed discussion about the functioning of the poll panel.
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions that the reported objections mean that its decisions were not unanimousThe ECI has said that decisions, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were approved by all three commissionersIt has also described differences during internal discussions as part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body.
Previous ELC events were also rescheduled
Officials have pointed out that postponing or changing the dates of ELC conferences is not a new practiceSimilar events have reportedly been rescheduled in places including Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Uttarakhand.
The latest decision therefore does not mean that the ELC campaign has been cancelledThe two Uttar Pradesh programmes have been postponed, while the Election Commission has not indicated new dates for them so far.
The development comes as the poll panel continues its voter-awareness efforts, particularly among young and first-time voters, ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
