10 APR 2026 7:52PM by PIB Delhi
- Chief Election Commissioner, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, today held a review meeting for the Central Observers (General, Police, Expenditure) deployed across the State of Tamil Nadu where polling is scheduled to be held on April 23, 2026.
- A total of 326 Central Observers and Special Expenditure Observer along with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Tamil Nadu attended the briefing through videoconferencing. Details of the Observers are as follows:
| Number of central observers deployed in general elections in Tamil Nadu | ||||
| No. of ACs | No. of General Observers | No. of Police Observers | No. of Expenditure | Total Central Observers |
| 234 | 136 | 40 | 150 | 326 |
- The Commission instructed the Observers to ensure that Elections are held in a festive mood, free & fair and free of any kind of inducement, intimidation or violence.
- The Commission also emphasised upon the strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and prompt action in case of any complaints of violations.
- The observers were also asked to well publicise their contact numbers and place and time of hearing the complaints from the public/political parties/candidates or their agents.
- They were also directed to oversee if trainings of Presiding Officers have been done properly with special emphasis on timely feeding of 2-hourly and close of poll voter turnout and other data on voter turnout module of ECINET, proper application of indelible ink, filling up of form 17-C and sharing with the polling agents present at close of poll, deletion of mock poll data amongst others.
- Observers were also directed to ensure availability of assured minimum facilities at all polling stations including mobile phone deposit facility and benches in voter queues. They were also directed to ensure availability of adequate drinking water and arrangements for shade at all polling stations in view of the hot weather.
- Webcasting monitoring control room arrangements should be properly checked and trial run conducted in presence of all the staff posted there for monitoring, who should be well trained to identify and flag errors, if any.
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