NEW DELHI: Kick-starting the pre-poll exercise, the 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.
The ECI in an official statement said that over 1,400 officers, including 714 General Observers, 233 Police Observers and 497 Expenditure Observers, have been called for the briefing meetings.
Addressing the observers, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said that they have been selected to serve as the beacons of the poll panel. He added that they should ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
He also said that their presence will energise the entire election machinery across 824 constituencies, where elections are going to be held.
During the meeting, election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were also present.
In his address, Sandhu urged the observers to act as friends, philosophers and guides to election officials in the field. He also highlighted that their arrival in constituencies should be well publicised and that they must remain accessible to voters to ensure prompt redressal of grievances and avoid any perception of bias.
Joshi, on his part, stressed the need for strict and impartial implementation of ECI instructions, and for this, he directed the observers to ensure the timely distribution of Voter Information Slips (VIS) so that voters face no inconvenience on polling day.
The Commission also held interactive doubt-clearing sessions with the observers, as senior ECI officials briefed them on electoral roll preparation, conduct of elections in the five poll-bound States and UT of Puducherry, use of IT applications, digital platforms and media-related matters.
Observers were instructed to familiarise themselves thoroughly with election laws, rules and guidelines and to provide direct feedback to the Commission to ensure strict compliance, the ECI said.
It added that they were also directed to remain fully accessible to political parties, candidates and voters and to ensure timely redressal of grievances.
In addition, Observers were asked to visit polling stations and oversee the implementation of recent voter-centric initiatives, with special emphasis on providing Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) for voters.
The ECI appoints Central Observers under its plenary powers granted by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist in conducting free and fair elections and to ensure effective management of the electoral process at the field level.