On October 3, 2025, the Election Commission of India held a briefing for General, Police and Expenditure Observers. These observers will be deployed as Central Observers for the upcoming General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar and bye-elections in certain states. The briefing, held at IIIDEM, New Delhi, was attended by 425 officers including 287 IAS officers, 58 IPS officers, and 80 officers from IRS/IRAS/ICAS and other services. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, briefed the Central Observers. The Central Observers are tasked with familiarizing themselves with election laws, rules, and guidelines, providing field inputs, ensuring strict and impartial compliance, remaining accessible to political parties, candidates, and voters for grievance redressal, visiting polling stations, and ensuring the implementation of recent Commission initiatives. The Commission appoints Central Observers under the powers conferred by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist in conducting free and fair polls and oversee the electoral process. Release ID: 2174485.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India: The primary authority briefing Central Observers for elections.
Central Observers: Individuals deployed to oversee the conduct of elections and ensure fair practices.
Bihar: The State where the assembly elections and bye-elections will be held.
Article 324 of the Constitution: Constitutional provision conferring powers to the Election Commission to appoint Central Observers.
Representation of the People Act, 1951: Act empowering the Election Commission to assist in the conduct of free and fair polls.
Election Commission
Election Observers are Beacons of Democracy: CEC
Gyanesh Kumar
ECI briefs Central Observers to be deployed for
Bihar State assembly elections and bye-elections
Posted On: 03 OCT 2025 4:48PM by PIB Delhi
1. The Election Commission of India today organised a briefing for General, Police and Expenditure
Observers to be deployed as Central Observers for the forthcoming General Election to the Legislative
Assembly of Bihar and bye-elections in certain states.
2. 425 Officers including 287 IAS officers, 58 IPS officers, and 80 officers from IRS/IRAS/ICAS and
other services attended the meeting. The briefing meeting was held at IIIDEM, New Delhi.
3. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi briefed the Central Observers. Addressing the Observers,
CEC Gyanesh Kumar described them as the beacons of democracy.
4. As the Commission’s eyes and ears, the Central Observers were asked to familiarise themselves with all
the election laws, rules, and guidelines, provide direct field inputs and ensure their strict and impartial
compliance.
5. Observers were instructed to remain fully accessible to political parties, candidates, and voters for the
redressal of their grievances.
6. The Observers were also instructed to visit polling stations, and ensure the implementation of the recent
initiatives taken by the Commission for the convenience of the voters.
7. The Commission appoints Central Observers under the plenary 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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PK/GDH/RP
(Release ID: 2174485)