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Delhi Elections 2025: What makes Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar’s media interaction different is his style of addressing using ‘shayari’ or Urdu poetry.
Delhi elections 2025: Rajiv Kumar recited at least three poetries in Urdu before announcing poll dates.
Before every elections, the Election Commission of India holds a press conference to inform the dates for voting and counting of votes. This is the process that all election commissioners follow, irrespective of annoucement for state or general elections. However, what makes Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar’s media interaction different is his style of addressing using ‘shayari’ or Urdu poetry.
The announcement for 2025 Delhi election dates was no different. While responding to those questioning EVMs and the electoral process, Kumar on Tuesday said: “Sab sawaal ki ehmiyat rakhte hain, jawab toh banta hai. Aadatan qalam-band jawab dete rahe, aaj roobaru bhi banta hai. Kya pata kal ho na ho, aaj jawab toh banta hai.“
This loosely translates to: All questions are important. Hence, we must answer them. We usually have a habit of replying in written but we must respond face to face today. We never know if tomorrow comes or now, hence replying to questions today is important.
The second ‘shayari’ came while Kumar was talking about political leaders who come out with allegations of ballot rigging after election results. “Kar na sakein ikraar toh koi baat nahi, meri wafa ka unko aitbaar toh hai. Shikayat bhale hi unki majboori ho, magar sunna, sehna, suljhana humari aadat toh hai.”
This poetry loosely translates to: It’s alright even if they don’t agree. They still have faith in my loyalty. May be complaining is a compulsion for them. But it’s our habit to listen, bear and sort things out.
Reciting his third ‘shayari’ on those doubting the work of Election Commission, Rajiv Kumar said, “Aaropon aur ilzamaat ka daur chale, koi gila nahi. Jhooth ke gubbaron ko bulandi mile, koi shikwa nahi. Har parinaam mein pramaand dete hain par woh bina saboot shakk ki nayi duniya raunak karte hain. Aur shakk ka ilaaj toh haqeem luqman ke paas bhi nahi.”
The above poetry loosely translates to: I have no complaints in this era of blame game and allegations, neither will I object to balloons of lies flying high. We keep giving proof during every result but they keep lighting a new world of doubts without any evidence. And there’s no cure for doubts — neither with a wise man nor a physician.
All the concerns raised by Congress party have been answered by CEC Rajiv Kumar through his shayaris. 3 shayari for all the questions and accountability done…! pic.twitter.com/hpevSWb3w7
— Venisha G Kiba (@KibaVenisha) January 7, 2025
The poetries of CEC Rajiv often go viral. Earlier, his impromptu poetry during the Lok Sabha Election 2024 schedule announcement was widely circulated on social media.
“Jhooth ke bazaar mei raunak toh bohot hai, goya bul bule jaisi hi turant hi phat jati hai, pakad bhi loge toh kya hasil hoga sivaye dokhe ke. (In the market of lies, there is much splendor, as if it were a bubble that bursts immediately, and if you try to catch it, what will you gain except deceit.)”
Similarly, during the announcement of voting dates for Jammu and Kashmir (a state that has seen unrest on multiple occasions in the past), Kumar had recited: “Lambi kataaron mein hai badalte surat-e-haal ki kahani, roshan umeedein karengi goya apne taqdeeron ki bayani. Jumooriyat ke jashn mein aapki shirqat, duniya dekhegi naapaak iradon ke shiqast ki kahani.”
His poetry translates to: The story of the changing circumstances is in long lines. The bright hopes will narrate its tale. With your participation in the celebration of democracy, the world will see the story of defeat of evil intentions.
