EC holds review meeting with parties, directs strict crackdown on cash, freebies ahead of Puducherry Assembly polls

Puducherry [India], February 25 (ANI): The Election Commission on Wednesday directed officials in Puducherry to strictly enforce the rule of law without fear or favour, crack down on the flow of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies, and ensure coordinated action among enforcement agencies ahead of the Assembly elections.
During a high-level review meeting, District Election Officers (DEOs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) were instructed to act impartially, enhance voter comfort at polling stations, closely monitor social media to curb fake news, and publicly share details of Central Observers, the EC said.
Authorities, including police, transport, GST, excise and forest departments, were asked to ensure coordinated vigilance, while the Airport Authority of India and CISF were directed to strictly follow established protocols.
The review was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, in the presence of the CEO of Puducherry and senior officials of the Commission. The Commission also held meetings with recognised national and state political parties to assess poll preparedness and electoral concerns.
Representatives of national parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and Indian National Congress (INC), attended the meeting.
Among the state parties, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), All India N R Congress (AINRC) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) participated in the discussions.
Highlights of the meetings included that most political parties appreciated the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Puducherry. They also offered constructive suggestions to further improve facilities and strengthen accessibility at polling stations.
Political parties also urged the Commission to take stringent measures to curb the use of money power and the distribution of freebies during elections. They also appealed for effective measures to prevent the misuse of social media during elections.
During the meeting, all political parties and election staff assured CEC Gyanesh Kumar to work towards making the Assembly elections in Puducherry the best model elections for the country.
As part of ensuring a pure electoral roll, based on the principle that no eligible voter should be excluded and no ineligible person included, the SIR of the electoral roll was conducted.
The SIR commenced on October 27, 2025, when the total electors stood at 10,21,578. The draft roll published on December 16, 2025, reflected 9,18,111 electors. The final electoral roll published on February 14, 2026, recorded 9,44,211 electors. This includes 4,43,595 male; 5,00,477 female; 139 third gender; 6,034 very senior citizens aged 85+; 54 centenarians; 328 service electors; 23,033 first-time voters aged 18-19; and 1,86,997 voters in the 20-29 age group. There are 12,204 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
A total of 1,099 polling stations have been established, with an average of 859 voters per polling station. Of these, 610 are in urban areas, and 489 are in rural areas. Webcasting will be conducted at 100% of polling stations. There will be 4 PwD-managed polling stations, 60 women-managed polling stations, and 30 model polling stations.
Special focus has been placed on youth inclusion, with dedicated Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) conducting campaigns in colleges to encourage participation among first-time and young voters.
To ensure ease of voting for senior citizens and PwDs, polling stations will be located on ground floors and equipped with ramps of proper gradient, wheelchairs, volunteers, priority voting, queue management systems, seating arrangements, and transport facilities. The Saksham module in the ECINET app will help PwDs access facilities at polling stations. (ANI)