New Delhi, March 15 The Election Commission (EC) has directed central investigative and security agencies to mount a special vigil and take "proactive" measures to check the use of unaccounted money, drugs, and other illegal inducements during the upcoming elections to five legislative assemblies.
The poll body announced the election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry, during a press conference held here on Sunday.
Shortly after the press conference, the EC issued separate communications to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for the Income-Tax Department), the Enforcement Directorate, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Narcotics Control Bureau, and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, among others.
It also sent letters to forces like the BSF, SSB, and RPF, asking them to step up their vigilance and deploy special teams to ensure that elections are held on a level playing field, without the use of illegal cash and other inducements.
The Commission asked the CBDT to direct the I-T investigation wings in these poll-bound regions to deploy teams at airports, major railway stations, hotels, farmhouses, Hawala agents, and financial brokers to check for "unaccounted" cash.
It asked the I-T to utilize its air intelligence units (AIUs) at airports located in these states and UT to check the movement of cash through private jets or commercial flights.
"If any cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh is reported to the Income-Tax Department, they shall take necessary action," the EC directed.
The Commission directed the FIU to share suspicious transaction reports (STRs) with it and to provide information regarding the candidates' assets in relation to their declarations made during the filing of nominations.
All the probe and enforcement agencies have also been asked to share real-time data of interceptions and seizures made by their special teams to the online election seizure management system (ESMS) of the EC.
It asked the NCB and DRI to keep a check on narcotics and fake currency, which "may be" used as inducements during these elections.
The EC directed the ED to "closely monitor money laundering activities".
"If any instance of money laundering related to politically exposed persons connected with political activities, directly or indirectly, comes to light, coordinated action can be taken to ensure that money or the proceeds of crime connected with the scheduled elections does not get used for political financing," it said.
The poll panel also asked guarding forces like the BSF and SSB to keep the international borders under "close surveillance" as these frontiers could be used to smuggle liquor, drugs, bullion, accounted cash, and fake currency notes to disrupt the election process.
Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be held on a single day on April 9, in Tamil Nadu on April 23, and in two phases in West Bengal on April 23 and 29, while votes will be counted for all elections on May 4.