Shimla – Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said that clean and accurate voter lists are essential for ensuring free and fair elections and called for greater public awareness about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Himachal Pradesh.
The Governor was addressing the State-level function organised at the historic Gaiety Theatre in Shimla on the occasion of the 16th National Voters’ Day. He said that during the Special Intensive Revision exercise, the Election Department must ensure that citizens do not face any inconvenience and that every eligible voter is able to participate in the democratic process.
Extending greetings to the people of the state on National Voters’ Day and Himachal Pradesh Statehood Day, the Governor referred to this year’s themes, “My India, My Vote” and “Indian Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy.” He said voting rights should be celebrated beyond differences of religion, caste or community, as universal adult franchise strengthens public participation in governance.
The Governor said the Election Commission of India has earned global recognition for upholding democratic values, transparency and fairness in the conduct of elections. He appreciated the efforts of the state Election Department for conducting voter enrolment drives in government and private educational institutions during 2025, which helped increase youth participation. He also praised initiatives that led to higher women voter registration in Sirmaur’s Shillai area and the Bharmour tribal region of Chamba district.
Commending the work of the Chief Electoral Officer and her team, the Governor said it was a matter of pride that Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Electoral Officer, Nandita Gupta, served as an International Observer during national elections in Moldova in September 2025, bringing recognition to the state and the country.
Calling upon voters to actively participate in elections, the Governor urged citizens to take a pledge for electoral participation to further strengthen democracy. On the occasion, he honoured district electoral officers, state icons, booth level officers and others for their contributions. He also released a coffee table book prepared by the Election Department, administered the Voters’ Day pledge and distributed Elector Photo Identity Cards to newly registered voters.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer Nandita Gupta welcomed the Governor and outlined the objectives of National Voters’ Day. She said that after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there had been a noticeable improvement in women and youth voter enrolment. She informed that since January 6, 2025, 91,949 voters have been added to the electoral rolls through continuous updating, details of 1,49,328 voters have been corrected, and the names of 64,643 ineligible voters have been removed due to death, migration or other reasons.
