Thiruvananthapuram, April 6 (IANS) In a refreshing and unconventional push to boost voter turnout ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections, Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Rathan U Kelkar, has struck a chord with the youth, quite literally.A lively dance video featuring the senior IAS officer has gone viral across social media platforms, adding a rhythmic twist to the Election Commission’s voter awareness campaign in the state which goes to the polls on Thursday to elect 140 new legis…
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Thiruvananthapuram, April 3 (IANS) At a time when senior bureaucrats are often seen as distant and inaccessible, a quiet administrative shift by top election officials is winning public praise in Kerala.At the centre of it are Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar and his deputy, P. B. Nooh, whose hands-on and accessible approach during the ongoing election process is being widely appreciated.Ever since the poll schedule was announced, Kelkar, Nooh, and their team have been working round the c…
Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday stepped in following the controversy over Facebook removing a portion of an interview of Opposition Leader, V.D. Satheesan, aired by Manorama News, allegedly at the direction of the Kerala Police.However, officials indicated that it is for the Kerala Police to explain the circumstances that led to the taking down of the interview.Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U. Kelkar, on Friday clarified that the i…
Thiruvananthapuram March 24 (IANS) The office of the Election Commission of India has received a total of 2,125 nomination papers from 1,254 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said on Tuesday. Kerala goes to the polls on April 9 to elect 140 new legislators.Kelkar said scrutiny of nominations is underway, followed by the withdrawal window.“The final list of valid candidates will be published thereafter, and ballot printing will be com…
Thiruvananthapuram Jan 8 (IANS) Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U. Kelkar on Thursday strongly pushed back against media reports suggesting large-scale exclusion of voters from the electoral rolls, reiterating that the Election Commission is firmly committed to conducting free and fair elections while ensuring the inclusion of every eligible citizen.Responding through the official X handle of the Chief Electoral Officer, Kelkar cautioned sections of the media against what he desc…
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22 (IANS) After the house-to-house enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll concluded on December 18, election authorities in Kerala are preparing to launch a focused drive to enrol new voters following the publication of the draft electoral rolls on Tuesday. Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar said the special enrolment drive would primarily target citizens who have attained the age of 18 as well as eligible voters who…