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ECI Reviews Kerala Poll Prep, Parties Seek Festival-Friendly Dates

The Election Commission of India, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, conducted a comprehensive review of preparedness for the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly elections in Kochi. The Commission met with representatives from national and state political parties, who provided suggestions including scheduling around local festivals and making special arrangements for elderly and disabled voters. Parties also urged stringent measures against the misuse of money, liquor, freebies, and synthetic AI-generated content during the polls. The CEC assured all parties of a transparent and impartial electoral process while encouraging the use of the cVIGIL platform for reporting code of conduct violations.

Key Points: ECI Reviews Kerala Assembly Election Preparedness in Kochi

  • ECI reviews Kerala Assembly poll preparedness
  • Parties request election dates consider local festivals
  • Calls for curbs on money power and AI misuse
  • Assurance of transparent, fair electoral process
2 min read

ECI reviews poll preparedness for forthcoming Assembly polls in Kerala

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar reviews Kerala poll readiness with parties urging festival consideration, special voter facilities, and curbs on money power.

"elections are always held as per Law in an impartial, free, fair and transparent manner - Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar"

Kochi, March 6

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday held a detailed and comprehensive review of the poll preparedness for the forthcoming Kerala legislative assembly elections in Kochi.

According to a press release, he was accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

During the review visit, the Commission interacted with representatives of recognised national political parties, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian National Congress (INC).

The Commission also met representatives of recognised state political parties such as Communist Party of India (CPI), Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (M) and Revolutionary Socialist Party and sought their suggestions.

According to the release, several parties urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to keep in mind upcoming local festivals while finalising the dates of the elections. Others requested special arrangements to facilitate elderly voters and persons with disabilities (PwD).

Political parties also urged the EC to take stringent measures to curb the use of money power and the distribution of liquor and freebies during elections. Concerns were also raised over the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and synthetically generated content that could vitiate the electoral atmosphere.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar reiterated that SIR has been conducted in the most transparent manner. The objective of SIR is to ensure that no eligible elector is left out, while no ineligible person is included in the Electoral Rolls.

He added that "forms 6/7/8 can still be filed for any inclusions/deletions/changes. Appeals can be filed with the DM/CEO as per RP Act 1950".

The CEC also assured all political parties that "elections are always held as per Law in an impartial, free, fair and transparent manner", the release said.

He encouraged political parties to use the cVIGIL component of the ECINET platform of ECI for filing complaints related to violations of the model code of conduct during elections.

Later, the Commission held a detailed review meeting with heads and nodal officers of enforcement agencies, including IGs, DIGs, District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs). The meeting covered aspects such as election planning, EVM management, logistics, training of election staff, seizures, law and order, and voter awareness and outreach activities.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Appreciate the emphasis on including elderly and PwD voters. My grandfather finds it difficult to go to the booth. Special arrangements like home voting or dedicated queues would be a big help. The cVIGIL app is also a great initiative for transparency.
R
Rahul R
The concern about AI and synthetic content is very real. We saw some deepfake audio clips circulating in the last election. The EC needs to have a rapid response team to debunk such misinformation immediately. This is the new frontier of electoral malpractice.
M
Meera T
While the review meetings are good, I hope the ground reality matches the assurances. In my area during the last polls, there were complaints about voter list errors that were not resolved in time. The process for Forms 6/7/8 needs to be faster and more accessible.
A
Aman W
Sensible move to consider local festivals while setting dates. Onam and Vishu are big in Kerala. Holding polls around that time affects turnout and campaigning. Practical planning is key for a smooth democratic exercise.
K
Kavitha C
The involvement of all enforcement agencies is critical. Seizure of illicit cash and goods needs to be stepped up well before the model code kicks in. The nexus between some officials and local politicians is often the weak link. Hope this review leads to action.

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