Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in Kochi, urged Keralites to vote 'transparently and peacefully' in the upcoming Assembly elections. He launched a 'Gen-Z Anthem' for voter awareness and interacted with young and first-time voters.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Friday requested electors to vote "transparently and peacefully" in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.
CEC Engages Young Voters in Kochi
CEC Gyanesh Kumar attended the audio launch of 'SVEEP 2026 Gen-Z Anthem' by the Ernakulam district administration ahead of the Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, he said, "As the Chief Election Commissioner of India, I would like to request each elector of Keralam to come out and vote transparently and peacefully in such a way that elections in Kerala are not only a model for India but for the world."
He also interacted with young voters while witnessing vibrant voter awareness initiatives. According to the ECI, he joined young voters in a Voter Awareness activity and took a walk along the Goshree Bridge.
CEC Shri Gyanesh Kumar launched the Gen-Z Anthem at Goshree Bridge, Kochi, interacting with young voters while witnessing vibrant voter awareness initiatives.#ECI #Kerala pic.twitter.com/vesqzsUfE5 — Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) March 6, 2026
The CEC led the Voters' Pledge for young voters, encouraging greater participation in the democratic process and also presented EPIC cards to first-time voters.
ECI Reviews Poll Preparedness
Earlier on Thursday, during his visit to Kochi, CEC Gyanesh Kumar interacted with officials who had worked with him during his tenure as Collector of Kochi, over tea.
An Election Commission delegation led by Gyanesh Kumar, along with ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, reviewed poll preparedness for the forthcoming Kerala Assembly Elections 2026.
Along with Kerala, other States and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, West Bengal and Assam will also hold polls in 2026.
New ECI Guidelines for Elections
Under ECI's 30 initiatives, the poll body has revised guidelines to make EVM Ballot Papers more readable. For the first time, photographs of candidates will be printed in colour on the EVM Ballot Paper.
ECI has made it mandatory to count VVPAT slips in each and every case of mismatch between Form 17C and EVM data, and wherever mock poll data was not erased erroneously, ECI said in an X post. (ANI)
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