ECI deployed 1,111 Central Observers for the Assembly Polls in 5 States/UTs and bye-elections

Election Commission India (ECI) has deployed 1,111 Observers for the ongoing General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and the bye-elections in 6 States.
It may be recalled that CEC Shri Gyanesh Kumar, while announcing the schedule for the general elections had asserted that the elections be conducted in a violence-free and inducement-free manner so that each elector can cast his/her vote without fear or favour. Accordingly, the Observers will function as the eyes and ears of the Commission in ensuring this objective is met.

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Details of the 1,111 Observers deployed in the ongoing general and bye-elections are as follows:

NUMBER OF GENERAL AND POLICE OBSERVER DEPLOYED IN ONGOING GENERAL/BYE ELECTION - 2026
Name of the State/UT	No. of ACs	No. of General Observers deployed	No. of Police Observers deployed	No. of Expenditure Observers deployed
Assam	126	51	35	50
Kerala	140	51	17	40
Tamil Nadu	234	136	40	151
West Bengal	294	294	84	100
Puducherry	30	17	4	17
Bye-elections	8	8	8	8
TOTAL	832	557	188	366

The Commission has directed that the Observers be stationed in their respective Assembly Constituencies by tomorrow, i.e., March 18, 2026.
The Observers, upon arrival will make public their contact details and will specify a time fixed everyday for meeting the candidates, political parties or their representatives or any member of the public to hear their election-related grievances.
The Commission appoints Central Observers under the powers conferred on it by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to assist the Commission in the conduct of free and fair polls. They also oversee the efficient and effective management of the electoral process at the field level.

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