Overview
- The Election Commission named Sarvana Vivek M, a 2015-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, as Police Observer for the West Bengal Assembly elections under its powers in Article 324 and Section 20B of the RPA, 1951.
- During the assignment he will be on deputation to the Commission and will work under its control, superintendence, and discipline.
- He will be based at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Kolkata and must file regular inputs to the Commission as directed.
- His brief is to monitor police arrangements for the two-phase polling on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
- Telegraph India reports he will coordinate with 84 IPS officers serving as police observers statewide, including several assigned to Kolkata, reflecting the EC’s practice of using out-of-state observers to bolster neutrality.