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 CAG report on the Mohalla clinics operated during the AAP government's tenure in the capital,
A trade war is going on between America and China, but along with this, a small trade war is also
The Pakistan Cricket Board has claimed that it has made huge profits from hosting the Champions T
25 IPS officers reached Aamir Khan's house, the actor's team said- 'We are still with him...'
Aamir Khan was in the news for some time due to his film Sitara Zameen Par. He was promoting the
Former ICC official Sami ul Hasan Burney has raised sharp questions about the functioning of the
On the occasion of National Space Day, a special program was organized at Bharat Mandapam in New
Bigg Boss 19: 'She is of Kunika's age ...', Tanya Mittal made such a comment on Malti Chahar's age
The controversial reality show Bigg Boss 19 (Bigg Boss 19) was already having a lot of drama, and
The film 'Humare Barah' is in a lot of discussion before its release. The film is also in controv
On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held an election rally in favor of BJP candidate Shivesh
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah shared a tweet on Monday on the death of B. Saroja Devi, ex
