ECI to Deploy 470 Central Observers for Bihar Assembly Elections and Bye-Polls in Eight States
The Election Commission of India (ECI) concluded its two-day Conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) at the India International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on Thursday.
New Delhi, September 29: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the deployment of 470 senior officers as Central Observers to oversee the upcoming general election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly and bye-elections in constituencies across Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Telangana, Punjab, Mizoram, and Odisha.
The deployment, made under the plenary powers of Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, is aimed at ensuring free, fair, transparent, and inclusive elections. The observers will serve as the Commission’s “eyes and ears” from their appointment until the election process is completed, ECI said in a statement on Sunday.
The 470 officers include 320 IAS officers as General Observers, 60 IPS officers as Police Observers, and 90 officers from IRS, IRAS, ICAS and other central services as Expenditure Observers. They will monitor every stage of the poll process—ranging from law and order to voter facilitation and expenditure monitoring—to uphold the credibility of the elections.
Observers carry the responsibility of not only supervising the conduct of elections but also of making concrete recommendations for improvement. By virtue of their seniority and administrative experience, General and Police Observers will oversee field-level poll management, while Expenditure Observers will track candidate spending to prevent misuse of money power.
The ECI noted that the observers’ presence helps enhance voter awareness, participation, and confidence in the electoral process. Their role, it emphasized, is integral to safeguarding the bedrock of India’s democracy.
The bye-elections where observers will be deployed include Budgam and Nagrota (J&K), Anta (Rajasthan), Ghatsila (Jharkhand), Jubilee Hills (Telangana), Tarn Taran (Punjab), Dampa (Mizoram), and Nuapada (Odisha).
