Kochi, March 6 || The Election Commission held a crucial meeting with recognised national and state political parties here on Friday as part of preparations for the upcoming elections in Kerala, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar assuring that the poll process would remain free, fair and transparent.
The meeting was attended by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, along with senior officials of the Commission, who interacted with representatives of major political parties to review poll preparedness and hear their concerns.
According to officials, most political parties appreciated the Commission for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state.
Several parties also commended the efforts of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who played a key role in updating the voter lists.
Addressing the representatives, the Chief Election Commissioner reiterated that the revision of electoral rolls had been carried out in a transparent manner.
He said Forms 6, 7 and 8 could still be submitted for inclusion, deletion or correction of entries in the electoral rolls.
Appeals regarding the voter list can also be filed before the District Magistrate or the Chief Electoral Officer as provided under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, he added.
During the interaction, several political parties urged the Commission to take stringent steps to curb the use of money power and distribution of liquor and freebies during elections.
Some parties also suggested that local festivals and events in Kerala be taken into account while finalising the polling schedule.