• ECI sets record, highest ever inducement seizures in 75-year LS history
• Flying squads of ECI deployed in J&K, monitoring closely: Officials
Srinagar, Apr15: Ahead of LokSabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday cracked its whip in Jammu and Kashmir and seized cash, liquor, drugs and freebies worth Rs 4 crore.
ECI Spokesman said that in J&K, cash worth Rs 1.24 crore, liquor worth Rs 63,00,640, drugs worth Rs 2.35 crore, precious metal worth Rs 25,800, freebies/other items worth Rs 5,59,150 were seized in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its ongoing drive against the misuse of financial resources to influence voters.
He said that these seizures come amidst a larger national effort, with the ECI reporting record seizures totalling over Rs 4650 crores across the country even before the commencement of polling for the 18th LokSabha elections.
A top official of ECI Jammu and Kashmir told Rising Kashmir that flying squats have been deployed across the Union Territory, who are monitoring the activities of the political parties and their members.
“They are active and visible on the ground. Wherever we are getting any suspicious activity, fly squats are raiding those locations,” he said.
ECI Spokesman said that ECI is on track for the highest ever seizures of inducements recorded in the 75-year history of LokSabha elections in the country.
“Enforcement Agencies have made a record seizure of over Rs. 4650 crores in ECI’s resolute fight against money power even before the first phase of polling for the 18th LokSabha elections commences on Friday,” he said.
“This marks a sharp increase over Rs 3475 crores seized during the entire LokSabha election in 2019. Significantly, 45% of the seizures are of drugs and narcotics, that are under the special focus of the Commission,” it said.
The spokesman said that the seizures have been possible by comprehensive planning, scaled up collaboration and unified deterrence action from agencies, proactive citizen participation and optimal engagement of technology.
“Use of black money, over and above political financing and accurate disclosure thereof, may disturb the level playing field in favour of more resourceful parties or candidates in specific geographies.”
He said seizures are a critical part of ECI resolve to conduct the LokSabha elections free of inducements and electoral malpractices and to ensure a level playing field.
CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the polls last month, underlined Money Power as one of the ‘4M’ challenges.
On 12th April, the Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu reviewed all Central Observers deployed in Phase -1 of elections going to poll on 19th April.
“Tightening, monitoring and checking were amongst the focus of deliberations to ensure inducement-free electoral process.The enhanced seizures reflect ECI’s unwavering commitment to monitor inducements and curb electoral malpractices for a ‘level playing field’, particularly in favour of smaller and less resourceful parties,” he said.
The spokesman said in an incident in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, the Commission suspended the flying squad leader for laxity in duty and selective checking of a cavalcade of a prominent leader. Similarly, officials checked vehicles in the convoy of CM of a state and also vehicle of a Dy CM in another state.
“Commission has also taken strict action against approximately 106 government servants who have been found assisting politicians in campaigning, thereby violating the Code of Conduct and instructions,” he said.
In the press briefing during announcement of Parliamentary elections, CEC Rajiv Kumar stressed in his presentation on strict compliance of BCAS instructions on surveillance and inspection of non-scheduled aircrafts and helicopters by Income tax, airport authorities and SPs of concerned districts, border agencies to keep close watch on international checkposts and GST authorities to closely monitor godowns, especially makeshift godowns meant for storing freebies.
“The Commission during reviews had always emphasized that there will be multi-pronged surveillance on all modes of transport – check posts and nakas for road transport, Coast guard for coastal routes and DMs and SPs alongside agencies for air routes including checking of helicopters and non-scheduled flights,” he added.
