As SIR concludes, Ernakulam district administration switches to Assembly poll mode

With the preparation of voter rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Ernakulam district administration has shifted into Assembly election mode, initiating a series of preparatory measures for the upcoming State polls. The district election wing has compiled a detailed election management plan, which will soon be submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer, sources said.

The first phase of training for election officials, along with the first-level checking (FLC) of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs), has already been completed.

Multiple enforcement and monitoring teams will be constituted in the coming days to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls, in accordance with Election Commission guidelines. These include flying squads to respond swiftly to model code of conduct violations; static surveillance teams to monitor the movement of cash and materials; video surveillance teams to document campaign activities; video viewing teams to scrutinise footage for model code violations; and accounting teams to track candidates’ expenditure.

“The preparatory works are progressing swiftly, as the election announcement is expected anytime after the Election Commission’s visit to the State. The visit has been tentatively scheduled for March 5,” a district election official said.

Officials in the rank of deputy collectors were transferred out of their home districts on Saturday (February 21), in a routine pre-election move aimed at preventing local influence or conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, the police department has intensified ground-level preparations. District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K.S. Sudarshan recently visited UC College, Aluva, and MA College, Kothamangalam, where vote-counting centres will be set up, and assessed the security arrangements and infrastructure facilities in the institutions.

The Kochi City Police have also stepped up surveillance of suspected anti-social elements and known offenders to prevent any attempts to disrupt public order during the election period.