The comprehensive planning, reviews, and follow-ups by the Election Commission of India involving the active participation of enforcement agencies have led to record seizures in the ongoing Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh.
Information shared by the Election Commission of India in the mountainous state said that the seizures in Himachal Pradesh are significant amounting to Rs 50.28 crores as compared to Rs 9.03 crores, marking more than a five-fold increase.
Further, if citizens become vigilant and use "cVigil App" more extensively, it would go a long way in curbing money power in the elections.
"The process of effective expenditure monitoring starts months before the announcement of elections and includes a host of activities like the appointment of experienced officers as Expenditure Observers, sensitizing and reviewing enforcement agencies for more coordinated and comprehensive monitoring, marking of expenditure sensitive constituencies, ensuring planning of adequate availability of field level teams in the monitoring process and regular follow-ups with DEOs/SPs with a view to curb the role of money-power in vitiating elections", the ECI stated in its official handout.
Visits by the Commission to review the electoral preparedness along with the review of Central Observers and DEOs, SPs have already been taken for comprehensive monitoring.
During campaigning for assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh cash worth Rs 17.18 crores were recovered from some different areas. Similarly, 972818.24 litres of liquor, worth Rs 17.50 crores was also seized during the campaigning. Drugs worth Rs 1.20 crore and precious metals of Rs 13.99 crore were also seized.
Cash, and liquor seized from stone-crushing units
During its visit to Himachal Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, while reviewing the preparedness of districts and enforcement agencies, emphasized tight vigil on illegal mining business and areas like liquor, suspicious cash, and product arising out of which has the potential of vitiating elections.
On the same lines, the Investigation Wing of the Income Tax Department, which is one of the main participating enforcement agencies, conducted raids on stone-crushing units in 27 premises of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining states and seized significant cash.
It also conducted another search and seizure operation on manufacturers and traders of country liquor, wherein, unaccounted cash was seized and discrepancies in stock and account keeping were observed.
Seizures, particularly relating to liquor, drugs, and freebies, were also done by Police, Excise officials, and other enforcement agencies. For effective monitoring to curb money power in General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh, the Election Commission of India has also deployed 23 Expenditure Observers.
