HYDERABAD: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday said it has appointed Central Observers to oversee the upcoming byelection in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, as part of a wider deployment across several states.
The Commission said observers drawn from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) will monitor the poll process to ensure it is free, fair and transparent. In total, 470 officers —including 320 IAS, 60 IPS and 90 IRS/IRAS/ICAS officials — have been deployed for elections in Bihar and bypolls in eight states, including Telangana, the ECI said.
According to the ECI, the observers will act as its “eyes and ears”, reporting directly to the Commission and ensuring impartial conduct of elections. General and Police Observers will oversee poll arrangements and law-and-order, while Expenditure Observers will track candidates’ spending.
The ECI said the deployment is made under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which empower it to appoint observers to safeguard electoral integrity.
Byelections will also be held in Jammu & Kashmir (Budgam and Nagrota), Rajasthan (Anta), Jharkhand (Ghatsila), Punjab (Tarn Taran), Mizoram (Dampa) and Odisha (Nuapada), alongside the Bihar Assembly polls.