Not even a whisper of connectivity. That’s what Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar confirmed during a visit to Lucknow, reassuring students who asked hard questions about voting machine safety. Think about it; over 90 crore votes counted without a single online link. That’s not an accident. It’s by design. Kumar didn’t stop there; he urged young voters to fact-check before sharing anything online, especially around elections. His message? Don’t let misinformation silence your vote. He also shared a personal story: in 1979, he was just a student like them. He even had plans to move abroad; but his mother’s words and love for India pulled him back. He took the UPSC, joined the IAS, and today leads India’s biggest democratic machine. His advice? Register to vote. Encourage your family. And show up; because democracy doesn’t work if you don’t. The EC even runs over 20,000 Electoral Literacy Clubs to teach students how the system works; and it’s working. If students in 20 districts already know more than most adults, imagine what you can do once you tune in.