Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (Left) PUDUCHERRY: Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the purity of the electoral roll is the bedrock of democracy and affirmed that no eligible voter has been excluded and no ineligible person has been included on the final voters’ list after the special intensive revision (SIR) process.Kumar was here on Wednesday, leading a seven-member team to meet with Puducherry officials to review preparedness for the 2026 assembly polls in the Union territory. Outlining new initiatives to be introduced in the upcoming elections while briefing reporters, Kumar said the commission had decided to set up mobile deposit counters at all polling booths and to print colour photographs of the candidates on the ballot units, following requests from people, as they could not identify candidates with black-and-white photos.Kumar said polling in Puducherry has been peaceful, fair and transparent with high voter turnout (above 85%) in the past and added that Puducherry has emerged as a model for the rest of the country in the conduct of elections. He said all polling stations (1,099) in Puducherry would be equipped with webcasting facilities. To a query on the distribution of freebies even before the political parties have finalised the alliance and announced their candidates, Kumar said the commission would curb the malpractice once the model code of conduct comes into force. “We have issued strict directions to enforcement agencies to prevent such malpractices and to ensure a free, fair and transparent electoral process,” he said.Earlier, Kumar, along with election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, interacted with representatives of recognised national and state political parties and elicited their views and opinions in smooth conduct of polls. The seven-member team included deputy election commissioners Manish Garg, Pawan Kumar Sharma and Sanjay Kumar and director general Ashish Goyal.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPM Modi’s Visit to Israel End IAF’s Need For Tanker Aircrafts | Watch“Pride and Emotion”: Indian Diaspora Welcomes PM Modi to IsraelRed Carpet Optics In Tel Aviv: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Offers Grand Welcome To PM ModiPM Modi’s Israel Menu Revealed: From Gujarati Dishes to Local DelightsLondon-Based Indian Eatery Shuts Down After Owner Blames Pakistani Threats And Diaspora Tensions’Rahul Gandhi A Puppet Of…’: Piyush Goyal Launches Sharp Attack On Congress Over US Trade Deal RowBefore AMCA, India’s First Stealth Aircraft Could Be Russian Su-57Bhopal Tourist Killed In Goa SUV Crash, Family Injured, Video Surfaces OnlineArunachal Racial Abuse Case: Accused Woman Arrested, Husband Apologises; Rijiju Vows Strict Action’Biggest Mistake Young People Make…’: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Shares Blunt Take On AI At IIT Delhi123PhotostoriesKatie Leung,Regé-Jean Page to Freddie Stroma: Every ‘Harry Potter’ actor who starred in ‘Bridgerton’How to make Dhaba-style Panchmel Dal for dinner at home5 iconic real estate streets of Delhi; where all the elite livesFrom ‘Paa’ to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’: 12 performances that prove Amitabh Bachchan is Bollywood’s ultimate chameleon10 interesting ways to pack basi roti for school or office tiffin5 ultra-luxury SUVs designed for effortless long-distance touring5 best wildlife experiences that prove Rajasthan is more than forts and palacesRinku Singh leaves T20 World Cup Camp for father’s health crisis: 5 times Indian cricketers chose family over workA style journey from ‘Ishq Vishk’ to ‘O Romeo’: Shahid Kapoor’s most memorable looks through the yearsAcross the Silk Route in 22 Days: This luxury train covers five nations; itinerary and cost details123Hot PicksMumbai BMC BudgetTrump’s State of the UnionGold rate todayBihar wedding shootIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingJharkhand Air Ambulance CrashHyderabad Farrari CrashNCERT textbook controversyBryce YoungDan Carter Net WorthMexico Fifa world cupMLB Trade RumorsRondale MoorePM Modi Israel visitJosh Allen Wife
PUDUCHERRY: Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the purity of the electoral roll is the bedrock of democracy and affirmed that no eligible voter has been excluded and no ineligible person has been included on the final voters’ list after the special intensive revision (SIR) process.Kumar was here on Wednesday, leading a seven-member team to meet with Puducherry officials to review preparedness for the 2026 assembly polls in the Union territory. Outlining new initiatives to be introduced in the upcoming elections while briefing reporters, Kumar said the commission had decided to set up mobile deposit counters at all polling booths and to print colour photographs of the candidates on the ballot units, following requests from people, as they could not identify candidates with black-and-white photos.Kumar said polling in Puducherry has been peaceful, fair and transparent with high voter turnout (above 85%) in the past and added that Puducherry has emerged as a model for the rest of the country in the conduct of elections. He said all polling stations (1,099) in Puducherry would be equipped with webcasting facilities. To a query on the distribution of freebies even before the political parties have finalised the alliance and announced their candidates, Kumar said the commission would curb the malpractice once the model code of conduct comes into force. “We have issued strict directions to enforcement agencies to prevent such malpractices and to ensure a free, fair and transparent electoral process,” he said.Earlier, Kumar, along with election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, interacted with representatives of recognised national and state political parties and elicited their views and opinions in smooth conduct of polls. The seven-member team included deputy election commissioners Manish Garg, Pawan Kumar Sharma and Sanjay Kumar and director general Ashish Goyal.
