CEC Gyanesh Kumar begins two-day tour of Bihar; praises state's historic voter turnout

Patna (Bihar) [India], August 16 (ANI): Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Patna on Sunday for a two-day visit to interact with the district election machinery and visit heritage sites. The Chief Election Commissioner recieved a warm welcome at the airport from Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer, the Patna District Magistrate, and the Senior Superintendent of Police.
According to a press release, Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, arrived in Patna on Sunday, August 16, 2026, as part of a two-day visit to Bihar. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Manish Garg (Senior Deputy Election Commissioner), Ashish Goyal (Director General - Media), Seema Khanna (Director General - IT), and other senior officials of the Commission.
The Chief Election Commissioner was welcomed at Patna's Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport by the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, Vinod Singh Gunjiyal; District Magistrate of Patna, Kundan Kumar; Senior Superintendent of Police (Patna), Kartikeya Kumar Sharma; and other senior officials.
Speaking at a press conference held at the airport, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that he had come to pay his respects to the sacred land of Bihar.
On the occasion, he also expressed his gratitude to the voters of Bihar and noted, "The most successful nationwide initiative for the purification of electoral rolls originated in Bihar, and the voter turnout during the last Assembly election was the highest recorded since independence. The voter turnout surpassed that of several developed nations such as France, Japan, and Spain. Vaishali is the Mother of Democracy."
He further extended heartfelt thanks to the voters of Bihar and to Vaishali, the cradle of democracy, the press release said.
During his visit to Bihar, the Chief Election Commissioner also toured Sitamarhi, Madhubani, and Vaishali. The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar accompanied him during these visits. In the course of the tour, the Chief Election Commissioner interacted with the district election machinery and visited significant sites associated with Bihar's rich historical and cultural heritage, the press release stated. (ANI)