ECI Briefs Central Observers Ahead of Assembly Polls in Five States, Including Assam

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday held orientation sessions for central observers who will supervise the forthcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

According to an official statement, a total of 1,444 officers have been called for the two-day programme, including 477 general observers, 451 police observers, and 516 expenditure observers. The briefings are being conducted in three batches on February 5 and 6 at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, addressed the officers and outlined their responsibilities during the electoral process.

Describing the observers as the Commission’s “beacons” in the field, CEC Kumar underlined their critical role in ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections. He said their deployment would strengthen election management across all 824 Assembly constituencies going to the polls.

Election Commissioner Dr Sandhu urged observers to act as mentors to local election officials and maintain high visibility in their assigned districts. He stressed the need for quick redressal of voter grievances to avoid any perception of bias.

Election Commissioner Dr Joshi emphasised strict compliance with the Commission’s guidelines, calling for their implementation in both letter and spirit. He also directed observers to ensure the timely distribution of voter information slips to prevent inconvenience to electors on polling day.

The programme featured interactive sessions on electoral roll management, state-specific preparedness, use of IT platforms, and media coordination. Observers were reminded that, as the Commission’s “eyes and ears,” they must have a strong grasp of election laws and provide prompt and accurate ground-level feedback.

They were further instructed to remain accessible to political parties, candidates, and voters; conduct field visits to polling stations; and verify the implementation of voter-friendly measures, particularly Assured Minimum Facilities.

Central Observers are appointed under the ECI’s plenary powers vested by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Their role is to ensure clean, credible elections and the effective management of the electoral process at the grassroots level.

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