New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Saturday significantly bolstered its oversight for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election results, deploying an additional 165 counting observers and 77 police observers across the state.

The supplementary personnel are scheduled to begin their duties on Monday as the tabulation process commences for the 294-seat legislature. The new counting observers will assist the 294 officials already assigned to individual constituencies, specifically targeting 165 districts where vote counting is distributed across multiple halls.

In a departure from standard protocol, the commission also introduced additional police observers. While these officers are generally not utilised during the final stage of the electoral process, the poll body clarified that they will be restricted from entering the counting halls. Instead, their mandate is to manage security and maintain law and order within the immediate vicinity of the centres.

"The additional counting observers and police observers have been deployed to ensure that the counting proceedings are conducted in a secure, peaceful, intimidation-free and transparent environment," the Election Commission (EC) stated.

SC delivers blow to TMC: Refuses special order on vote counting staff; ECI rules to stand

Regulatory Authority

The commission noted that these appointments were made under the authority of Article 324 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Representation of the People Act. All observers will operate under the direct supervision and control of the federal poll body.

Regarding internal security, the EC reiterated a strict prohibition on electronic devices. No individual, with the sole exceptions of the returning officer and the counting observer, is allowed to possess a mobile phone within the counting perimeter.