The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed Central observers to oversee the conduct of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections and the eight bye-polls across seven states, ensuring a level-playing field for all political parties.
The move is aimed at ensuring free and fair polls, in exercise of the plenary powers conferred on it by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the poll panel said in a press note on Sunday.
The Commission has already deployed a total of 121 general observers and 18 police observers for Phase 1, and 122 general observers along with 20 police observers for Phase 2 of the Bihar Assembly elections. Additionally, eight general and an equal number of police observers have been deployed for ongoing bye-elections in 8 Assembly Constituencies.
The observers have been instructed to closely monitor the entire election process, ensure a transparent, free, and fair conduct of elections, remain fully accessible to political parties, candidates, and voters, address grievances and ensure that they are redressed, and visit polling stations and ensure the implementation of recent initiatives taken by the Commission.
The observers have also been instructed to ensure that the polling process is convenient for voters. The ECI’s efforts are aimed at conducting the elections in a fair, transparent, and impartial manner, upholding the democratic principles of the country.