ECI briefs Central Observers to be deployed for forthcoming Assembly Elections

• Central Observers are senior IAS/IPS/IRS-rank officers deputed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as its "eyes and ears" during elections, appointed under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• The Feb 5–6, 2026 briefing at IIIDEM, New Delhi prepares 1,444 Observers for the 2026 Assembly polls in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
• UPSC angle: integrates GS-II (constitutional bodies, electoral reforms) with current affairs on free-and-fair elections.