ECI briefing of 1,444 Central Observers to be deployed for forthcoming Assembly Elections concludes

• Central Observers are senior officers deputed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to act as its "eyes and ears" during elections, drawing power from Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• Three statutory categories — General, Police and Expenditure Observers — supervise free-and-fair conduct, law-and-order and candidate expenditure respectively.
• Relevant for Prelims (constitutional/statutory base, IIIDEM, RPA 1951) and GS-II Mains (Election Commission, electoral reforms, free and fair elections).