Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar has instructed the Election Commission’s central observers assigned to the Maharashtra Assembly elections to ensure fairness, address candidates’ concerns promptly and uphold professional conduct.
Kumar directed the central observers to be available to all candidates and parties without showing favouritism at a review meeting.
He also urged them to maintain close oversight of the law-and-order situation and monitor the flow of any inducements, such as drugs, alcohol, freebies and cash, that could undermine the integrity of the election process.
“Any complaints in this regard will be viewed seriously,” a source quoted the CEC as saying.
Kumar said that in order to preserve a level playing field, enforcement authorities should conduct checks and inspections in accordance with the established approach and in an entirely unbiased way.
He stated that observers should see that state police forces and central forces remain impartial and that they are not used to support any political party or candidate.
In particular, observers can make sure that the entire election process, especially the campaign discourse, does not in any way compromise women’s dignity, CEC Kumar added.
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