EC appoints Odisha cadre IPS officer as Police Observer for Bengal polls

The Election Commission has appointed an IPS officer from another state as the police observer for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, reinforcing its focus on maintaining law and order during the polling process. Sarvana Vivek M, a 2015-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, has been assigned the responsibility and will be stationed at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata.

According to the Commission’s directive, the police observer will monitor the overall law and order situation during the elections and ensure that all guidelines are strictly followed. He will regularly report to the Commission and provide inputs based on field-level assessments throughout the election period.

The appointment comes amid continued administrative reshuffles and heightened monitoring in the state ahead of the polls. Since the announcement of the election schedule, several police officials and IPS officers have been transferred, with officers from outside the state being deployed in key roles. The move has drawn political reactions, but the Commission has continued with its measures.

Elections in the state have historically witnessed incidents of violence, including clashes and post-poll unrest in previous years. While recent national elections were relatively peaceful, the Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring free and fair polling. Officials have been directed to act strictly in accordance with guidelines, with warnings of action against any bias or negligence.