The Election Commission has approved 20,773 local observers from 84 organisations to monitor the 12th parliamentary polls.

Of them, 517 local observers from 40 organisations have received central approval, said Md Shariful Alam, a spokesman for the election regulator, on Thursday.

He said the rest had obtained approval from returning officers nationwide.

Central observers will be issued identity cards and vehicle stickers directly from the EC secretariat, excluding motorcycle stickers.

Local observers must collect identity cards and vehicle stickers from their respective returning officers' offices.

According to Asadul Haque, an assistant director of the EC's public relations wing, observers cannot monitor the Upazila where they are registered voters.

Besides local observers, around 250 foreign observers have applied this time, according to the EC Secretariat.