Bihar Elections 2025: 425 Observers Appointed, 28 IAS & IPS Officers from Madhya Pradesh to Play Crucial Role
In preparation for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 425 officers from across the country as election observers to ensure free, fair, and transparent polling. The appointments include 287 IAS officers, 58 IPS officers, and 80 officers from other central services such as the IRS.
Among these, 28 officers hail from Madhya Pradesh—25 from the IAS cadre and 3 from the IPS cadre—who will be entrusted with significant responsibilities throughout the election process.
Madhya Pradesh Officers Among the Key Observers
The IAS officers from Madhya Pradesh designated as General Observers are:
Mr. Shobhit Jain, Ms. Sonali Wayangkar, Mr. Vivek Kumar Porwar, Mr. P. Narhari, Dr. Sanjay Goyal, Mr. Raghuraj M.R., Ms. G.V. Rashmi, Mr. Madan Nagargoje, Mr. Swatantra Kumar Singh, Mr. Bharat Yadav, Mr. Abhishek Singh, Mr. Ajay Gupta, Mr. Amit Tomar, Mr. Avinash Lavania, Ms. Preeti Maithil, Mr. Anurag Chaudhary, Mr. Karmveer Sharma, Mr. Tarun Rathi, Mr. Gautam Singh, Mr. Girish Sharma, Mr. Harjinder Singh, Ms. Sarita Bala, Mr. Virendra Kumar, Mr. Rahul Haridas, and Mr. Kumar Purushottam.
The three IPS officers from Madhya Pradesh serving as Security Observers are:
Mr. Sushant Kumar Saxena, Ms. Chaitra N, and Mr. Lalit Shakyavar.
Orientation in Delhi: Observers Briefed on Electoral Responsibilities
Before deployment, all 425 observers underwent a comprehensive training session in New Delhi focused on electoral management. Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Gyanesh Kumar personally addressed the officers, reminding them that they would serve as the “eyes and ears of the Commission.”
The briefing covered critical areas such as:
Ethical conduct and impartiality in the field
Safeguarding voter privacy
Enforcing the Model Code of Conduct
Ensuring transparency in expenditure monitoring
Real-time reporting and accountability
Three Categories of Observers and Their Roles
The Election Commission has appointed observers under three distinct categories:
General Observers (IAS officers): Supervise overall poll preparedness, election procedures, and polling station management.
Security Observers (IPS officers): Monitor law and order, oversee deployment of security forces, and safeguard sensitive constituencies.
Expenditure Observers (IRS and other services): Track election expenditure, detect illicit funding, and curb voter inducements.
Observers will be deployed to their respective constituencies once the election schedule is formally announced.
Transparency and Accountability at the Core
The Commission has stressed strict transparency in the conduct of observers. Officers are required to make details of their field visits public and maintain rigorous oversight of each stage of the electoral process—from polling station inspections to security assessments.
Through this robust monitoring mechanism, the Election Commission aims to uphold the highest standards of electoral integrity in Bihar, a politically significant and high-stakes state where the credibility of the democratic process remains paramount.
