Election Commission, EC, has asked local monitoring bodies to perform their duties during election with special attention so that their registration is not cancelled.

If any organisation is found to have flouted the policy then its registration will be rescinded, warned EC secretary, Helaluddin Ahmed on Tuesday, during a briefing given to the local poll observation agencies.

“Since all political sides are taking part, this election will be hugely competitive,” he said and added: “hopefully, the election will be peaceful and held in an affable atmosphere.”

We gave primary registration to 119 monitoring bodies but one entity was cancelled following complaints from the NGO bureau.

“An observer will always have to wear the EC pass around his/her neck so people know the status of such persons,” said the EC secretary.

Other regulations include:

S/he will have to go to the presiding officer and reveal his/her role as an observer.

No phones, photography or comments will be permitted, he added.

Even if any journalist asks questions, an observer will not be able to speak or make any observation.

No comments can be made before submission of written reports.

A politically active member of a party cannot be selected as an observer.

The EC warned the local observer bodies repeatedly that they should be careful so as to ensure that any act beyond the stated policy does not create controversy and foil the election.