The Election Commission on Tuesday appointed special observers for administrative, security, and expenditure monitoring purposes in several states to ensure a level playing field during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The election panel said special observers – former civil servants with stellar track records – have been tasked with monitoring the electoral process with strict vigilance. The panel said the responsibility has been given especially in the backdrop of challenges arising from the influence of money, muscle power, and misinformation.
The Election Commission said special observers (general and police) have been deployed in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar, which have a population of more than seven crore. The Commission said that assembly elections are also to be held along with Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. It said special expenditure observers have also been deployed in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
The election panel said special observers will be posted at the state headquarters and if needed, will visit areas where sensitivity is high and necessary coordination is required. The panel said they may seek requisite inputs from time to time from observers posted in parliamentary constituencies, assembly seats, or districts, wherever necessary, without interfering in their work.
Election Commission officials said they have also been ordered to seek inputs and coordinate with regional heads and nodal officers of various agencies involved in monitoring activities. He said the special observers will have a special focus on border areas and will work towards stopping the influx of migrants and will also seek inputs on redressal of public grievances.
Also on his agenda are rapid responses to counter false narratives and monitoring of the last 72 hours before voting to ensure free and fair elections.
Know who got posting where
Retired IAS Manjeet Singh has been posted as a general special observer in Bihar, while former IPS Vivek Dubey has been posted as police special observer in the state. In Maharashtra, retired IAS Dharmendra S Gangwar has been made the general special observer, while former IPS NK Mishra has been made the police special observer.
In Uttar Pradesh, retired IAS officer Ajay V Nayak is the general special observer, and former IPS officer Manmohan Singh is the police special observer. Similarly, the general special observer in Andhra Pradesh is retired IAS officer Ram Mohan Mishra and the police special observer is former IPS Deepak Mishra who was once with Delhi Police.
The excavation was carried out on the second day on Sunday in search of the 150-year-old step wel
The people of Punjab, who are battling floods, are not getting any relief yet. The main reason fo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York on Saturday. The
On the occasion of the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, Chief Minister Yogi Aditya
A protest is underway in Leh, demanding full statehood for the Union Territory of Ladakh. Violent
After the Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in both the houses, many politicians have come out in op
Women of Delhi will not have to do much for Rs 2500 every month. Delhi's nominated Chief Minister
Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be the 51st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. CJI DY Chandrachud has
Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra and her husband-politician Raghav Chadha, are going to become
IPL 2024: Lucknow out of playoff race, battle between Chennai and RCB for fourth place
The IPL 2024 season has now reached its final stage. Now only three matches are left in
