Continuing the tradition of deploying special observers to provide critical feedback and oversight of a level-playing field in elections, the election commission on Tuesday appointed special general and police observers for six states as well as special expenditure observers for five states.
The general and police will be the special observers who will help EC to curb the use of muscle power and misinformation to muddy the electoral arena including retired 1988-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre Manjit Singh and ex-IPS from 1981 batch Vivek Dube, who will be watching over the poll process in Bihar.Ex-IAS officer Dharmendra S. Gangwar and 1988 batch IPS officer N K Mishra will be deployed in Maharashtra; while retired IAS officer Ajay V Nayak and ex-IPS officer Manmohan Singh will be the eyes and ears of the commission in UP.
1987-batch IAS officer Ram Mohan Mishra and retired IPS officer Deepak Mishra will be stationed in Andhra Pradesh, while ex-IAS Yogendra Tripathi and retired IPS officer Rajnikant Mishra will handle the charge in Odisha.
Special general observer Alok Sinha, ex-IAS, and Anil Kumar Sharma, IPS (Retd.) will watch over polls in West Bengal, where poll violence and clashes between party workers are anticipated as the poll campaign builds up.
An EC spokesperson said special general and police observers have been deployed in states of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar where the population is more than 7 crore, along with Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where simultaneous elections to the assemblies are being held.
Ex-officers of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) who have been appointed as special expenditures observers to curb rampant use of moneypower in five states include Rajesh Tuteja in Uttar Pradesh; Himalini Kashyap in Odisha; B Murali Kumar in Karnataka; Neena Nigam in Andhra Pradesh; and B R Balakrishnan in Tamil Nadu. The menace of money power and distribution of illicit liquor and freebies are particular concerns of the Commission, said an EC spokesperson.
The appointed special observers, EC underlined on Tuesday, are former civil servants with a brilliant track record of domain expertise and past experience with election processes. The special general and police observers have been entrusted with the crucial task of supervising the randomisation of personnel, security forces, and voting machines.
The roles and responsibilities of special observers include stationing themselves at the state headquarters and making tours, as and when required, to the areas or districts where sensitivity is high or necessary coordination is required.
They can seek requisite inputs from time to time from the observers deployed in the parliamentary/assembly constituencies in the state. They will have a coordinated approach and make joint efforts in the concerned areas.
EC said the special observers shall seek inputs and coordinate with regional heads and nodal officers of various agencies involved in monitoring activities.
They will have special focus on inter-state border areas and work on border sensitivities in plugging the inflow of inducements and also work on seeking inputs on redressal of public grievances.
The special observers will focus on qualitative monitoring like guidelines being implemented in letter & spirit, inter-agency coordination; and ensuring a quick response to counter false narrative, compliance of dos & dont’s and careful monitoring of the 72 hours preceding the poll, to ensure free and fair elections.
The special observers, EC said, will also participate in the meetings of district electoral officers, superintendents of police and law enforcement agencies to be conducted by the commission or zonal deputy election commissioners, where they can share their inputs and recount past experiences.
The general and police will be the special observers who will help EC to curb the use of muscle power and misinformation to muddy the electoral arena including retired 1988-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre Manjit Singh and ex-IPS from 1981 batch Vivek Dube, who will be watching over the poll process in Bihar.Ex-IAS officer Dharmendra S. Gangwar and 1988 batch IPS officer N K Mishra will be deployed in Maharashtra; while retired IAS officer Ajay V Nayak and ex-IPS officer Manmohan Singh will be the eyes and ears of the commission in UP.
1987-batch IAS officer Ram Mohan Mishra and retired IPS officer Deepak Mishra will be stationed in Andhra Pradesh, while ex-IAS Yogendra Tripathi and retired IPS officer Rajnikant Mishra will handle the charge in Odisha.
Special general observer Alok Sinha, ex-IAS, and Anil Kumar Sharma, IPS (Retd.) will watch over polls in West Bengal, where poll violence and clashes between party workers are anticipated as the poll campaign builds up.
An EC spokesperson said special general and police observers have been deployed in states of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar where the population is more than 7 crore, along with Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where simultaneous elections to the assemblies are being held.
Ex-officers of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) who have been appointed as special expenditures observers to curb rampant use of moneypower in five states include Rajesh Tuteja in Uttar Pradesh; Himalini Kashyap in Odisha; B Murali Kumar in Karnataka; Neena Nigam in Andhra Pradesh; and B R Balakrishnan in Tamil Nadu. The menace of money power and distribution of illicit liquor and freebies are particular concerns of the Commission, said an EC spokesperson.
The appointed special observers, EC underlined on Tuesday, are former civil servants with a brilliant track record of domain expertise and past experience with election processes. The special general and police observers have been entrusted with the crucial task of supervising the randomisation of personnel, security forces, and voting machines.
The roles and responsibilities of special observers include stationing themselves at the state headquarters and making tours, as and when required, to the areas or districts where sensitivity is high or necessary coordination is required.
They can seek requisite inputs from time to time from the observers deployed in the parliamentary/assembly constituencies in the state. They will have a coordinated approach and make joint efforts in the concerned areas.
EC said the special observers shall seek inputs and coordinate with regional heads and nodal officers of various agencies involved in monitoring activities.
They will have special focus on inter-state border areas and work on border sensitivities in plugging the inflow of inducements and also work on seeking inputs on redressal of public grievances.
The special observers will focus on qualitative monitoring like guidelines being implemented in letter & spirit, inter-agency coordination; and ensuring a quick response to counter false narrative, compliance of dos & dont’s and careful monitoring of the 72 hours preceding the poll, to ensure free and fair elections.
The special observers, EC said, will also participate in the meetings of district electoral officers, superintendents of police and law enforcement agencies to be conducted by the commission or zonal deputy election commissioners, where they can share their inputs and recount past experiences.