New Delhi [India], February 5 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday organised briefing meetings for General, Police and Expenditure Observers to be deployed as Central Observers for the forthcoming assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
According to an official release, 1,444 Officers, including 714 General Observers, 233 Police Observers and 497 Expenditure Observers, have been called for the briefing meetings.
The briefing meetings are being held in three batches over two days - February 5 and 6 - at IIIDEM in the national capital.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, briefed the Central Observers.
CEC Kumar said that the Observers have been selected to serve as beacons for the ECI. He added that the Observers should ensure free, fair and transparent elections. He said that their presence will energise the entire election machinery across 824 constituencies where elections are going to be held.
Election Commissioner SS Sandhu said the Observers should serve as a friend, philosopher, and guide to election officials on the field.
"Their arrival must be well publicised, and they should remain accessible, ensuring grievances of the electors are swiftly redressed to avoid even perceptions of favouritism," he added.
Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi said that the Observers must ensure ECI instructions are implemented in letter and spirit, upholding impartiality and democratic values. He also instructed that Voter Information Slips (VIS) be distributed well in time to voters so they are not inconvenienced on election day.
The Commission also interacted with the Observers in a doubt-clearing session. Senior officials of the Commission also briefed the Observers on various aspects of the preparation of Electoral Rolls and the Conduct of Elections in the five poll-bound States/UTs.
As per the release, the Commission appoints Central Observers under the plenary powers conferred on it by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist the Commission in the conduct of free and fair polls. They also oversee the efficient and effective management of the electoral process at the field level.
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