EC to visit Kerala on March 6 and 7 to assess poll preparedness

New Delhi: The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, will visit Kerala this week to assess poll preparedness in the state where Assembly elections are likely to be held next month.

The Commission is likely to reach Kerala on March 5 night and would commence its official tour on March 6 and 7, officials said on Sunday.

Besides Kerala, Assembly polls are due in Assam, Tamil Nadu , Puducherry and West Bengal.

The Election Commission (EC) has already visited Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to assess poll preparedness.

CEC Kumar told reporters in Guwahati that the EC would finalise the poll schedule for the northeastern state keeping in mind the festival of Bihu, which falls on April 14.

It is usual for the EC to visit states where polls are due before announcing the election schedule.

The terms of the five assemblies end on different dates in May and June.

While the five-year term of the Puducherry Assembly ends on June 15, the terms of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Assemblies end on May 20, 23, 10 and 7, respectively.

Last time, Assembly polls in West Bengal were held in eight phases by far the maximum.

In Assam, elections were held in two phases, and in a single phase in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

All the poll-bound states have published their final electoral rolls after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ list.