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ECI Team to Visit Kerala in Feb as Assembly Poll Preparations Accelerate

A high-level team from the Election Commission of India, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, is scheduled to visit Kerala in early February to assess the state's preparedness for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections. The elections are likely to be held in a single phase across all 140 constituencies in April, before the current Assembly's term ends in May. The ECI team will review critical aspects including law and order, deployment of forces, electoral rolls, and measures to curb misinformation. The polls are set for a triangular contest between the LDF, UDF, and NDA, with the political landscape recently altered by the disqualification of a ruling front legislator.

Key Points: ECI Team to Review Kerala's Assembly Poll Preparedness in February

  • ECI team visit in February
  • Single-phase poll likely in April
  • Review of law & order and electoral rolls
  • Triangular LDF-UDF-NDA contest
2 min read

ECI team to visit Kerala in Feb as Assembly poll preparations gather pace

A high-level ECI team led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar will visit Kerala in February to assess readiness for the upcoming single-phase Assembly elections likely in April.

"The Election Commission is actively considering holding the Kerala Assembly elections in April. - Sources"

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 6

With the clock ticking towards the end of the current Kerala Legislative Assembly's term, a high-level team from the Election Commission of India is likely to visit the state early next month to assess poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

A new 140-member Assembly must be in place by the third week of May this year, making April the most likely window for polling.

The team will be led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a former top Kerala bureaucrat who is widely familiar with the state's administrative and political landscape.

Kumar had earlier this week chaired a meeting of senior Election Commission officials in New Delhi to review the ground situation in states scheduled to go to the polls this year, including Kerala.

Sources familiar with the deliberations said the Election Commission is actively considering holding the Kerala Assembly elections in April, and indications point towards a single-phase poll across all 140 constituencies spread over the state's 14 districts.

Kerala has traditionally favoured single-phase polling owing to its compact geography, high voter literacy, and relatively robust election machinery.

The visit of the ECI team is expected to focus on key issues such as law and order, deployment of central forces, election expenditure monitoring, the status of electoral rolls, and preparedness to ensure free and fair polling.

The ECI is also likely to review the use of technology and measures to curb misinformation during the campaign.

Politically, the election is set to witness a triangular contest, as in recent years, between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

At present, the LDF enjoys a comfortable majority in the Assembly with 97 seats, while the UDF holds 42 seats.

The NDA, despite an expanding vote base, failed to retain the single seat that it won in the 2016 polls.

The political landscape saw a minor but significant change on Monday, when one Assembly seat fell vacant following the disqualification of ruling front legislator Antony Raju.

The disqualification came after a trial court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment in a criminal case, triggering immediate political ripples ahead of the election season.

With the Election Commission stepping up its engagement, the formal election process in Kerala is now clearly entering its final phase.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Having Gyanesh Kumar lead the team is a smart move. As a former Kerala bureaucrat, he knows the local dynamics inside out. This should help in smooth coordination with state machinery.
R
Rohit P
The disqualification of Antony Raju so close to elections shows that no one is above the law. A good precedent, but I hope this doesn't lead to political vendetta from any side. The focus should be on development issues.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has observed Kerala politics, the triangular contest makes it very interesting. The BJP's expanding vote base could be a game-changer, even if they don't win many seats. It splits the vote in a new way.
V
Vikram M
Single-phase polling is the right decision for Kerala. High literacy and good infrastructure mean we can handle it. My only request to ECI: please strictly monitor election expenditure. The money flow during campaigns is insane.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, I feel the ECI's focus is sometimes more on procedure than outcome. Ensuring free polls is key, but what about the quality of candidates? The recent disqualification highlights the need for stricter candidate scrutiny at the nomination stage itself.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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