The Election Commission has deployed the highest number of observers in West Bengal among the four poll-bound states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, underlining the scale and sensitivity of the upcoming assembly elections.
According to an EC notification, a total of 478 observers- including general, police and expenditure observers will be stationed across constituencies by Wednesday. The list includes 294 general observers, 84 police observers and 100 expenditure observers.
Each assembly constituency in Bengal will have one general observer. Notably, the number of police observers has been more than doubled this time, compared to the usual practice of assigning one per police district or commissionerate. The number of expenditure observers has also been increased to keep a close watch on election spending.
Observer appointments trigger political pushback
However, the appointments have sparked political reactions in the state. The selection of IPS officer Jayant Kant as an observer in Malda has drawn particular attention, as his wife is an active BJP leader who has previously contested elections on the party’s ticket.
The development has invited criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission. Is EC being controlled by the BJP?
Mrityunjoy Paul, spokesperson, All India Trinamool Congress, told News Ei Samay, "The Election Commission of India is working directly for the Bharatiya Janata Party. India hasn't seen such an Election Commissioner since independence. We saw that an official letter of the EC in Kerala was stamped with BJP's symbol. This is nothing new. The BJP is working for the Election Commission, and vice-versa. That's why we're seeing that whoever is being appointed has ties to the BJP. I can give multiple examples. Yesterday, 73 Returning Officers were transferred. No regulation was followed, and those junior to the ones transferred were given higher positions. For example, Nirmalya Gharami was appointed as SDO, Jalpaiguri. People junior to him have been appointed as ADMs. Same with Anup Dutta, who is now the SDO of Contai. 2011-batch officer Surojit Roy has been appointed as Additional Secretary, while senior officers have been transferred as Assistant Directors."
He also added, "The latest example is the appointment of IPS Jayant Kant. All these things are occurring, people are being omitted from the electoral rolls. But the people of West Bengal will vote for development, and will elect Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister for the fourth time."
Dr. Pradipta Mukherjee questions EC’s neutrality
Dr. Pradipta Mukherjee, spokesperson, All India Trinamool Congress added, "Since the launch of the SIR, we have been saying that the Election Commission is working in tandem with the BJP. People close to the BJP are being appointed as observers in various districts of West Bengal. One such instance is the appointment of IPS Jayant Kant in Malda, whose wife is a BJP member. The EC has taken the baton over from the BJP, since the party failed in 2021. The Union government blocked Bengal's due funds, and now the Election Commission is depriving people of their voting rights, and taking over the administration, and a Super Emergency situation is happening right now. But nothing can deter Mamata Banerjee. We will win in this election, despite all attempts made by the BJP through the ECI, ED and CBI."
Riju Dutta, spokesperson, All India Trinamool Congress, also shared with News Ei Samay, "The Election Commission is beyond shameless now. We have seen the viral notification issued by the Election Commission which beared a BJP seal. Now, they have gone even further. Now, they are deputing officers with direct links to the BJP. In Malda, the wife of the newly appointed police observer contested the elections in Bihar on a BJP ticket. The Election Commission is not even pretending anymore that they are unbiased. They have transferred the BDO of Nandigram to Bhawanipore. The DG of West Bengal, the CP of Kolkata, DMs to Returning Officers - they have changed the entire administration of West Bengal. But still, Mamata Banerjee will return as the Chief Minister for the fourth time."
Across all poll-bound regions, the EC is deploying nearly 1,111 observers, including 22 earlier appointed for the SIR exercise. Once in place, observers will make their contact details public to ensure accessibility and transparency, and will monitor whether elections are conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
