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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday conducted a special training programme for all District Election Officers as part of its preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala.
Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar stated that ECI officials recently visited the state to review the preparations for the polls. He added that the Commission has emphasised that the elections in Kerala should be "the best ever held and serve as a model for the world." "After the Election Commission of India visited and reviewed the preparedness of Kerala, and as per the directions of the Commission, we have moved forward in terms of preparing for the upcoming elections in Kerala. Today we are having a training for all the District Election Officers and we are attaching a lot of importance to the training...As directed by the Commission, the Commission has instructed us that the elections in Kerala should be the best elections ever held and should be a model for the world," Kelkar told ANI. He further noted that during an ECI meeting, all political parties and officials committed to ensuring high-quality elections. An action plan has been prepared, discussed with the Collectors, and feedback is being incorporated before implementation. "During the meeting of the Election Commission, all the political parties and all the officials have committed to making it the best elections. As part of that, we have prepared an action plan and the same has also been discussed with the Collectors and feeback being taken before we move forward. Our expectation is that we will conduct a very unique kind of election this time with the maximum voter turnout. The Commission has already asked us to have at least 85% plus voter turnout, which we will attempt to achieve; at the same time, make it very inclusive, clean, responsible election and with the participation of youth as well as all voters in Kerala," said Kelkar. Kerala is set to hold elections in the first half of this year, with the main contest between the incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF). The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is also in the fray for the upcoming Kerala polls. (ANI)
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