The Election Commission of India (ECI) will assign one Central observer to each of the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal to supervise the pre-poll nomination phase. These Central observers, selected from Central government officers or officers from other states, are currently undergoing training provided by the ECI. The move comes in response to past instances of violence during the pre-poll nomination phase in the state.
The ECI has observed a trend of violence, including voter intimidation and threats to opposition party workers and polling agents, during previous elections in West Bengal. To address these issues, the Commission will appoint one Central observer for each Assembly constituency during the pre-poll phase. These Central observers will be granted authority by the ECI once the polling dates are announced and the model code of conduct is enforced.
In preparation for the upcoming polls, the final voters’ list in West Bengal will be published, excluding cases of “logical discrepancy” referred for judicial adjudication. Additional lists will be released as judicial adjudication progresses. The ECI is expected to announce the polling dates shortly after the Holi festival on March 4, with a possibility of conducting the elections in fewer phases than in previous years. While the CEO’s office in West Bengal has suggested a single-phase poll, the final decision rests with the ECI.
