New Delhi
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the deployment of 470 Central Observers to oversee the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and eight bye-elections across the country, aiming to ensure fairness, transparency, and greater voter participation.
The appointed observers include 320 officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 60 from the Indian Police Service (IPS), and 90 from services such as IRS, IRAS, and ICAS. They will supervise elections in Bihar as well as bypolls in Jammu and Kashmir (Budgam, Nagrota), Rajasthan (Anta), Jharkhand (Ghatsila), Telangana (Jubilee Hills), Punjab (Tarn Taran), Mizoram (Dampa), and Odisha (Nuapada).
The decision, taken under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, empowers the observers to monitor the entire election process until completion. The ECI described observers as the “eyes and ears” of the Commission, tasked with periodic reporting to ensure impartial conduct.
Observers’ responsibilities include overseeing field-level operations, ensuring compliance with rules, and boosting voter awareness. General and Police Observers will focus on smooth poll management, while Expenditure Observers will monitor candidates’ campaign spending to ensure adherence to expenditure regulations.
The Commission underlined that observers play a vital role in strengthening electoral management and maintaining public confidence in democracy. Their presence is expected to enhance accountability and ensure that the elections in Bihar and other states are conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner.
