Kolkata, 13 March (H.S.): The Election Commission is considering deploying nearly double the number of observers for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, while the number of polling phases may be fewer than in 2021, sources said on Friday.

According to sources, the Commission is planning to appoint one general observer for each assembly constituency in the state to ensure closer monitoring and conduct of free and fair elections.

During the 2021 assembly elections, a total of around 160 general observers were deployed in West Bengal, with each official overseeing more than one constituency. However, the proposed arrangement for the 2026 polls would significantly increase that number if one observer is assigned to each constituency.

Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening supervision at the constituency level and ensuring stricter monitoring during the electoral process.

Apart from general observers, the Commission is also likely to increase the number of expenditure observers to monitor poll spending more closely.

Special emphasis is also being placed on the deployment of police observers. In the 2021 polls, around 37 police observers were posted in the state. This time, the Commission is considering area-based deployment and may appoint more than one police observer in sensitive constituencies, sources said.

The development indicates that the Commission is adopting a detailed micro-planning strategy to ensure peaceful polling in the state.

Meanwhile, the Commission has also issued a notification for the appointment of returning officers for various constituencies ahead of the elections.

According to sources, the notification was sent to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday. The list includes officials of at least sub-divisional officer (SDO) rank and above, with senior officials being considered for the role.

Earlier, officers of the DMDC rank were often appointed as returning officers, but the latest order reportedly excludes officials of that rank, sources added.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey