Bhubaneswar, Dec. 27 -- Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday said that booth-level officers (BLOs) form the backbone of India's electoral machinery, as he began a two-to-three-day visit to Odisha that combines official engagements with outreach to grassroots election functionaries.

"I have come to Odisha with my family to visit the Jagannath temple, to understand and experience the local culture, and also to meet with our booth-level officers, who are the backbone of our election campaign. We will be in Odisha for two to three days," Kumar told reporters in Bhubaneswar.

The CEC's visit underscores the Election Commission of India's focus on strengthening last-mile election management ahead of upcoming state polls ...