New Delhi, Nov 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Law enforcement agencies have made record seizures in the run-up to the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls.
Recently, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had stressed on inducement-free elections while announcing the schedule of Gujarat polls citing the significant amount of seizures made in Himachal Pradesh.
Gujarat witnessed seizures of Rs 71.88 crore within days of announcement of elections surpassing those made in the entire duration of enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in Assembly Elections, 2017 which was Rs 27.21 crore.
Similarly, the seizures in Himachal Pradesh are also significant amounting to Rs 50.28 crore as compared to Rs 9.03 crore, marking more than five-fold increase.
"If citizens become vigilant and use Vigil App more extensively, it would go a long way in curbing money power in the elections," said a senior EC official.
Process of effective expenditure monitoring starts months before the announcement of elections and includes a host of activities like appointment of experienced officers as Expenditure Observers, sensitising and reviewing enforcement agencies for more coordinated and comprehensive monitoring, he said.
Visits by the Commission to review the electoral preparedness along with the review of Central Observers and DEOs, SPs has already been taken for comprehensive monitoring.
Though these are early days after the polls were announced in the State of Gujarat, yet activity by police has led to seizure of around 1,10,000 litres of liquor valued at Rs 3.86 Crores.
Massive seizure amounting to Rs 64 crore of toys and accessories which were being smuggled by way of mis-declaration and by resorting to concealment in import cargo at Mundra Port was also reported.
Two persons, including the mastermind, have been arrested in the case and further investigation is under progress.
For effective monitoring to curb money power in General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat, Election Commission of India has also deployed 69 Expenditure Observers.
Twenty-seven Assembly constituencies have been marked as Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies for closer monitoring.
For effective monitoring to curb money power in General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh, 23 Expenditure Observers have been deployed.
Source: IANS
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