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Communist Party of India State Secretary Binoy Viswam on Monday dismissed allegations of "payment seats" within the party, following sharp criticism from sitting MLA CC Mukundan over the alleged replacement of him with Geetha Gopi as the candidate in the Nattika constituency.
Responding to the allegation, Viswam maintained that the party holds no animosity toward the sitting MLA. "CPI has never seen CC Mukundan as an enemy. There are no issues in Nattika Constituency. Mukundan will not be ready to oppose or reject the party that has loved him for so long. The Nattika seat is not a payment seat. There has never been a payment seat within the Communist Party, and there never will be." The CPI leader's clarification comes as political parties prepare for the Assembly elections, which are expected to be held in April 2026 to elect 140 members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala are expected to set a benchmark for democratic practices, expressing confidence in the preparedness of the state's election machinery and cooperation from political parties. "Kerala was my karma bhoomi 22 years back. Now I have come back here to review the preparedness for the upcoming elections. All the political parties and the entire election machinery have assured that the upcoming elections in Kerala are going to be the model not only for the country, but for the world," he said. Extending his wishes to the electorate, Kumar said voters play a vital role in strengthening democracy. "All the voters from Kerala and particularly from Ernakulam, wishing them all the best and wonderful elections. Chunav ka parv, Keralam ka garv. Jai Bharat, Jai Hind," he added. In another first for Kerala, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will display colour photographs of candidates to help voters identify them easily. The Chief Election Commissioner also said that Presiding Officers will upload voter turnout data directly to the ECINET application every two hours during polling. Kumar said additional measures have been introduced to streamline the counting process. Postal ballots will be counted two rounds before EVM votes, while mandatory counting of VVPAT slips will take place in cases where there is a mismatch between Form 17C and EVM data. The Election Commission also announced that all polling stations in the state will have 100 per cent webcasting to ensure transparency during the voting process. To enhance voter participation, special arrangements have been made for senior citizens above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities, who will have the option to vote from home. Kerala is expected to witness large voter participation in the upcoming Assembly elections, with dedicated outreach programmes being conducted in colleges to encourage youth participation. The Commission said the state's strong democratic traditions and high literacy levels are expected to contribute to a smooth and credible electoral process. (ANI)
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