ECI deploys over 1,000 Central observers for upcoming Assembly polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has deployed a total of 1,111 observers for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, as well as the bye-elections in six States, with West Bengal receiving the maximum number.

West Bengal has been assigned one general observer for each of its 294 constituencies, along with 84 police observers and 100 expenditure observers. Tamil Nadu has been allocated 136 general observers, 40 police observers and 151 expenditure observers. The commensurate figures for Assam are 51, 35 and 50 and for Kerala are 51, 17 and 40. For Puducherry, the numbers are 17, 4 and 17.

The Commission has directed observers to be stationed in their respective Assembly Constituencies by Wednesday (March 18, 2026).

After arrival, the observers will make public their contact details and specify a fixed time every day to meet candidates, political parties or their representatives or any member of the public to hear their election-related grievances, the ECI said in a statement.

The Election Commission appoints Central Observers under powers conferred by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist the ECI in the conduct of free and fair polls. They oversee the management of the electoral process at the field level.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while announcing the election schedule on March 15, said the polls would be conducted in a violence-free and inducement-free manner so that each elector can cast his or her vote without fear or favour.