An Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Chennai on Thursday to assess the readiness for the upcoming elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The delegation held meetings with recognised national and state political parties. Prior to arriving in Chennai, the delegation met with senior officials in Puducherry to discuss election arrangements. On Wednesday, the ECI directed officials to enforce the rule of law without fear or favour, crack down on the circulation of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies, and ensure coordinated action among enforcement agencies ahead of the Puducherry elections. During the high-level review meeting in Puducherry, district election officers and senior superintendents of police were instructed to act impartially, improve voter comfort at polling stations, closely monitor social media to curb fake news and publicly share details of central observers.
