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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday held inter-state border meetings to review poll preparedness and strengthen coordination ahead of the upcoming General Elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, as well as bye-elections in six states.
The meeting brought together Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), Directors General of Police (DGPs), and senior officials from the five poll-going states and their twelve neighbouring states, along with heads of central enforcement agencies. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, reviewed the law-and-order situation, poll readiness, expenditure enforcement, and seizures of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, arms, and other items in sensitive constituencies. Officials were also instructed to focus on inter-state check posts and border districts to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free elections. The Commission asked neighbouring states to provide full support to poll-going states in maintaining peace and order during the elections. Heads of central agencies, including the Indian Coast Guard, Assam Rifles, and others, were directed to enhance vigilance in border areas and strengthen monitoring at interstate check posts. The ECI also instructed agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Income Tax Department, Central GST, and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to intensify their operations before the polls, with special emphasis on seizures of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, arms, and other contraband based on actionable intelligence. The meeting aimed to ensure smooth, fair, and peaceful elections by improving coordination among state and central authorities and taking proactive steps to prevent violations and illegal activities in both poll-going states and neighbouring regions. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Kerala and Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. Voting in Puducherry will also take place on April 9. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. In addition to the Assembly polls, the Commission also announced by-elections for six seats across six states--Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, and Tripura--which will be conducted in two phases. (ANI)
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