LS polls: observers to arrive in Goa today

PANAJI: General observers appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the Lok Sabha election to the two parliamentary constituencies in Goa and bypolls to three assembly constituencies will arrive in the state on Thursday to oversee the management of the electoral process.

“Two general observers each for North Goa and South Goa parliamentary seats have been appointed who will be coming down to Goa by Thursday evening. Along with them, general observers one each for the poll-bound constituencies – Mandrem, Shiroda, and Mapusa – will also be arriving,” said a senior officer of the Chief Electoral Officer’s office.

He said that the expenditure observers have already arrived in the state and are currently on the field doing their duty. These observers include two for North Goa and one for South Goa.

The senior officer said that the general observers are Indian Administrative Service officers while the expenditure observers are officers from the Indian Revenue Service.

Interestingly, all these officers appointed for the state are females, as the ECI has taken note of the past records when the male officers, who were deployed in Goa were found to be in the casinos while on duty.

The official from the CEO office said that a senior Indian Police Service officer will also come down to Goa as an observer to oversee the law and order situation in the state during the election period.