KOLKATA, Jan 24: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 294 senior micro-observers, one for each West Bengal assembly constituency, to supervise the ongoing hearings on claims and objections to the draft voters’ list. These senior micro-observers will oversee the work of 6,600 micro-observers already appointed across the state. While micro-observers supervise individual hearing centers, senior micro-observers manage all centers within a constituency.
Micro-observers are mostly Group-B central government employees or staff from central PSUs and banks, currently posted in West Bengal. Senior micro-observers are all Group-A officers drawn from neighboring states—Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand—and will join their duties from January 26 until the hearings conclude.
The hearing sessions are scheduled to end by February 7, with the final voters’ list set for publication on February 14, though the ECI may extend both deadlines if needed. After the final list is released, the Commission is expected to announce polling dates for West Bengal’s crucial Assembly elections later this year.
The appointments aim to ensure transparent and effective supervision of the hearings, with senior micro-observers providing a higher-level oversight to address any discrepancies or issues arising at individual hearing centers. The move underscores the Commission’s efforts to maintain accuracy and credibility in the voter registration process ahead of the state elections. (PTI)
