Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 10: Election Commission of India (ECI) today asked all the District Election Officers and District Superintendents of Police to keep hawk’s eye on the political functions to check Model Code of Conduct violations and luring of voters by offering cash and material.
Director General in the Election Commission, P K Dash, who is responsible for monitoring expenditure by the political parties and contesting candidates strictly as per the ceiling fixed by the Commission, passed this direction during video-conferencing with the DEOs and SSPs today.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Mr Dash directed all the DEOs, District SPs and Nodal Officers Expenditure to keep an eye on all the major as well as minor political functions to ensure that none of the political party or leaders dare to offer cash and material to the participants to lure the voters.
“In case such a violation of MCC is noticed the same should be brought to the notice of Chief Electoral Officer of J&K and Election Commission for prompt and strict action against the violators”, sources said quoting Director General’s direction.
During the video-conferencing, Mr Dash also directed the DEOs to ensure that Excise Department officers strictly monitor sale of liquor from the depots. They were asked to see whether sale of liquor from these depots remains as usual and do not register sharp increase as the same would be possibly for being used during the elections.
The Excise Department sleuths have further been directed to update District Election Officers on this issue regularly so that liquor is not used for luring the voters by the political parties, sources said.
All the District Election Officers and District SPs separately briefed the Director General Expenditure about the steps taken by them to check use of black or hawala money in the elections. Mr Dash passed more directions to them for strict vigil. Details about the seizure of cash in violation of MCC guidelines were also furnished to the Director General Expenditure.
Meanwhile, Deputy Election Commissioner, Vinod Zutshi is going to review the arrangements made for the first phase of elections scheduled to be held on November 25 during the video-conferencing with the DEOs of the concerned districts tomorrow.
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