Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said that credibility and acceptability of an election need to be visible.

He said, “We must be bound by pledge to ensure credible elections.”

He made the comment at the training of returning and assistant returning officers for the DNCC mayor and ward council election of 36 newly formed city wards.

Saying that he had analysed reports of returning officers from the 11th National Election, he said, I have come across two words and they are ‘satisfactory’ and ‘normal’.

Calling the forthcoming city corporation election, lukewarm, he said: “This election won’t carry the excitement or the temperature; we can only expect some exuberance in the contest for councillors.”

The people of the nation plus development partners are waiting to see the city corporation plus councillor elections, he added.

Alluding to democracy in India, he observed: “In our neighbouring country, democracy is on a forward momentum despite many contradictions and for this, the Indian Election Commission has vital contribution.”