Amidst a recent development, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Rajiv Kumar (1984 batch IAS), issued detailed directions to the election observers across all States and Union Territories to ensure a level playing field and to arbitrarily deploy forces, personnel, and machines, ahead of the LS 2024 polls.
On March 11th, during the day-long hybrid session (both online and offline) conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) from Delhi, Mr. Rajiv Kumar commanded his subordinates to ensure an election free of inducement, coercion, and intimidation.
Over 2,150 senior officers, including top-ranking IAS, IPS, Indian Revenue Service, and other Central Services officials from across the country attended the meeting.
The ECI has reportedly deployed over 900 general observers, 450 police observers and 800 expenditure observers ahead of the largest democratic exercise in the world. Mr. Rajiv Kumar mentioned that the ECI had re-drafted and uploaded all circulars and updated the manuals on its website — containing the roles and functions of different officials, along with a checklist of dos and don’ts.
During the plebiscite, the observers were instructed to stay within the boundaries of the Parliamentary constituency they were allotted with the provision of GPS for their vehicles. They were even directed to declassify their mobile, email and places of stay on district administration websites and media and remain available on their phones and emails to promptly respond to the calls of candidates, political parties, the public, and personnel on election duties.
Mr. Kumar directed the observers to visit as many polling stations as possible during polling hours on the day of the poll and regularly assess the situation inside polling stations to ensure that the election progresses in a free and fair manner. The observers were instructed to be vigilant about the neutrality of the Central and State police forces to prevent any favouritism for political parties or candidates.
