Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, during an Inter-State Border meeting with Chief Secretaries, DGPs, CEOs, and Principal Secretaries (Home), Principal Secretaries (Excise), Principal Secretaries (SGST) and SPNOs of poll going States and their neighbouring States and meeting with Multi-Departmental Committee on Election Intelligence, on March 24, 2026. Photo: X/@ECISVEEP via PTI Photo
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday (March 24, 2026) held a review meeting with senior officials from four poll-bound States and one Union Territory, as well as the 12 States that share borders with them, with a special focus on sealing the borders of neighbouring districts to maintain peace, two weeks before polling is set to begin.Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, reviewed the poll-preparedness and law-and order situation, including the seizures of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, and arms, inter-State check posts, and expenditure sensitive constituencies, ahead of Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal and byelections in six States, an ECI statement said.Assembly polls will be held in a single phase in Assam, Puducherry, and Kerala on April 9, in Tamil Nadu on April 23, and in two phases in West Bengal on April 23 and April 29. Counting of votes for all the elections will take place on May 4.Free of violence, inducementMeeting with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police, and the heads of all enforcement agencies, among other officials, the ECI directed them to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free electionsThe poll-bound States briefed the Commission about their overall preparation, law and order issues, and expenditure enforcement and any concerns or pending issues with Central agencies and neighbouring States. The neighbouring States were directed to take all possible steps to aid the poll-going States/UT, and special focus was placed on bordering districts and the sealing of borders to maintain peace and order.Central agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau, Income Tax Department, Central Goods and Services Tax, and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence were directed to intensify their efforts in the run-up to the polls and maximise seizures of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, and arms, based on actionable intelligence, the statement said. Published - March 24, 2026 07:51 pm IST
