NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has appointed 15 special observers – including five special general observers, five special police observers and five special expenditure observers each – to oversee the conduct of assembly polls in five states and act as the poll panel’s eyes and ears on the ground to ensure free, fair and voter-friendly polls.
In Uttar Pradesh, ex IAS officer Ajay Nayak will be the special general observer, ex-IPS officer Deepak Mishra special police observer and ex-IRS officers B Murali Kumar and BR Balakrishnan special expenditure observers.
In Punjab, ex-IAS officer and former deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi will act as a special general observer, ex-IPS officer Rajni Kant Mishra as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Himalini Kashyap as special expenditure observer.
Ram Mohan Mishra, retired IAS officer, was appointed as special general observer in Uttarakhand, which will also have ex-IPS officer Anil Kumar Sharma as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Madhu Mahajan as special expenditure observer.
Goa will only have two special observers — ex-IAS officer Manjit Singh as special general observer and ex-IPS officer Somesh Goyal as special police observer. Retired IAS officer Pravir Krishna has been appointed as special general observer in Manipur, which will also get ex-IPS officer Arun Kumar as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Rajesh Tuteja as special expenditure observer.
At a briefing meeting with the newly-appointed special observers here on Tuesday, the chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra said that the overarching spirit behind deploying special observers is to objectively assess the poll preparedness, identify the critical gaps and guide the electoral machinery in the field. He asked the special observers to be vigilant and be in touch with the Commission on a real time basis and bring to the latter’s notice any corrective measures required.
Election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the impartiality, fairness, visibility, accessibility and alertness of special observers ensures implementation of the Commission’s instructions in letter and spirit.
Election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey particularly asked the special observers to ensure effective enforcement of the Commission’s broad Covid guideline and SDMA norms.
In Uttar Pradesh, ex IAS officer Ajay Nayak will be the special general observer, ex-IPS officer Deepak Mishra special police observer and ex-IRS officers B Murali Kumar and BR Balakrishnan special expenditure observers.
In Punjab, ex-IAS officer and former deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi will act as a special general observer, ex-IPS officer Rajni Kant Mishra as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Himalini Kashyap as special expenditure observer.
Ram Mohan Mishra, retired IAS officer, was appointed as special general observer in Uttarakhand, which will also have ex-IPS officer Anil Kumar Sharma as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Madhu Mahajan as special expenditure observer.
Goa will only have two special observers — ex-IAS officer Manjit Singh as special general observer and ex-IPS officer Somesh Goyal as special police observer. Retired IAS officer Pravir Krishna has been appointed as special general observer in Manipur, which will also get ex-IPS officer Arun Kumar as special police observer and ex-IRS officer Rajesh Tuteja as special expenditure observer.
At a briefing meeting with the newly-appointed special observers here on Tuesday, the chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra said that the overarching spirit behind deploying special observers is to objectively assess the poll preparedness, identify the critical gaps and guide the electoral machinery in the field. He asked the special observers to be vigilant and be in touch with the Commission on a real time basis and bring to the latter’s notice any corrective measures required.
Election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the impartiality, fairness, visibility, accessibility and alertness of special observers ensures implementation of the Commission’s instructions in letter and spirit.
Election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey particularly asked the special observers to ensure effective enforcement of the Commission’s broad Covid guideline and SDMA norms.
,