Election Commission-appointed special observers will visit election-bound states and UT, including Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, shortly to monitor poll preparedness done by the state and district level officials.
Retired IAS officer Sudarsanam Srinivasan, retired IPS officer Ashok Kumar and retired IRS officer Neena Nigam have been appointed by the Election Commission of India as observers for Assam.
Sources in the Election Commission said the special observers will also have a series of meetings with the police and expenditure observers deployed in the field.
The Election Commission on Thursday organized a briefing meeting with special observers associated with the forthcoming Assembly election 2021.
Welcoming the newly appointed special observers, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora appreciated them for playing a very important role in the past elections and helping ECI fulfil the constitutional mandate of conducting free, fair, transparent, impartial and inducement-free elections.
Arora emphasised greater coordination amidst all enforcement agencies functioning on the ground.
He further added that the observers will have additional role in supervising deployment of forces and their randomisation for poll duties.
Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra drew their attention to the Commission’s recent order with respect to webcasting of all vulnerable booths and emphasised on making our elections totally inducement-free.
Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the Commission is very happy to have associated with all upright and efficient senior officers in order to conduct elections in a free, fair, transparent and safe manner.
The special observers, who worked during the previous elections, apprised the Commission of issues and challenges, based on their past experiences.