Thiruvananthapuram: One name remained a talking point in Kerala during the entire process of the Lok Sabha polls. He is no politician but an IAS official - Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena.
The Rajasthan native toiled hard during the three months and conducted repolling in seven booths after instances of bogus voting were proved.
Around 50 officials at the CEO's office and around 1.25 lakh election officials across the state worked hard to hold the biggest democratic process in Kerala. This year also saw the highest voter turnout in Kerala in 30 years.
"My biggest contribution as CEO would be to put a stop to the menace of bogus voting in the state. I was able to set the wheel in motion," Teeka Ram Meena told Manorama.
"Now, six bypolls will have to be held in six months. I assure you that there will not be any complaints of bogus voting," he said.
Meena is also tasked with making a new voters' list for the Kerala Assembly polls that are due in two years' time.
Though the voting and the counting process are over, the IAS official has more tasks at hand. "Will begin checking the candidates' expenditure and details of their criminal cases from next week. If any fraud is detected, strict action would be taken," he added.
When asked about the LS poll results, this is what Teeka Ram Meena had to say: "Congratulations to all the winners. But the real winners are the people."