'Kya pata kal...': CEC Rajiv Kumar replies on EVMs during Delhi Election dates announcement goes viral

As Delhi election is just a month away, the Election Commision of India (ECI) has announced Delhi assembly poll schedule. However, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar grabbed everyone’s attention this time. His was not a usual Delhi assembly polls date announcement. While giving the Delhi election schedule live, CEC Rajiv Kumar addressed the media with “shayari”, a kind of Urdu poetry. 

The announcement for 2025 Delhi election date turned poetic. He was responding to questions regarding EVMs and the electoral process, on Tuesday when Kumar 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." (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.) 

"सब सवाल अहमियत रखते हैं जवाब तो बनता है ...."

Listen to CEC Rajiv Kumar while responding to various concerns raised around elections in his poetic way. #DilliDilseVoteKaregi #DelhiDecides #ECI #DelhiElections2025 #AssemblyElections #Elections2025 pic.twitter.com/wcZEerg3Ub

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) January 7, 2025

Another shayari went like,“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.” He recited this shayari when the CEC was talking about politicians who claim ballot rigging after election results. This shayari means- 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. 

"कर न सके इकरार तो कोई बात नहीं, मेरे वफ़ा का उनको ऐतबार तो है.. "

CEC Rajiv Kumar cited how in the past 30 State/UT elections 15 different parties in various states /UTs emerged as the single largest party. #DilliDilseVoteKaregi #DelhiDecides #Elections2025 #AssemblyElection pic.twitter.com/Fy827mOZwM

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) January 7, 2025

CEC Rajiv Kumar did not stop with just two shayaris, he continued his poetic-style answers. His third shayari was an answer to those doubting the work of the Election Commission. “Aropon aur ilzamaat ka daur chale, koi gila nahi. Jhooth ke gubbaron ko bulandi mile, koi shikwa nahi. Har parinaam mein pramaan dete hain par woh bina saboot shakk ki nayi duniya raunak karte hain. Aur shakk ka ilaaj toh haqeem luqman ke paas bhi nahi." (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.) 

"आरोपों और इल्जामातों का दौर चले कोई गिला नहीं...हर परिणाम में प्रमाण देते है...शक का इलाज तो हकिम लुकमान के पास भी नहीं "

CEC Rajiv Kumar reaffirms that ECI will respond to each and every concern, it's our duty, but be specific.#DilliDilseVoteKaregi #DelhiDecides #ECI pic.twitter.com/wYJdtGNgD9

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) January 7, 2025

This is not the first time that CEC Rajiv Kumar has addressed a media conference in a poetic way. His spontaneous poetry following the unveiling of the Lok Sabha Election 2024 schedule had previously gone viral on social media often making his statements go viral 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.)" 

The Elections Commission of India said that the current Delhi Vidhan Sabha will finish on 23 February 2025. The Chief Election Commissioner announced voting for Delhi legislative assembly election to be February 5 and counting of votes to take place on February 8.