Assam: Election Commission of India holds meetings with state machinery

IT sleuths vigilant against use of black money in LS poll

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Income Tax Department (IT Department), Assam, has deployed teams to curb the use of black money in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. In the meantime, a team from the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by Deputy Election Commissioner Hirdesh Kumar arrived in Guwahati on a two-day visit today to oversee the preparations for the Lok Sabha election.

Pursuant to the holding of the Lok Sabha Election 2024 across the country by the ECI, the Investigation Directorate of Income Tax Department, North East Region, has deployed monitoring teams in the form of a 24x7 Control Room-cum-Complaint Monitoring Cell in the state capital, a Rapid Action Team (RAT), district monitoring teams in each of the districts of the state, and Air Intelligence Units (AIU) in all the airports of the state to curb the use of black money in the election process. The monitoring teams are constituted to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections to capture the movement of unaccounted cash, its role in the election process, etc., as per the guidelines and mandates issued by the ECI from time to time.

In this regard, any complaint or information about cash or other items suspected to be used for bribing voters may be given to the Control Room through a toll-free number or WhatsApp. Also, any information or knowledge about the storage, possession, or movement of large amounts of cash or valuables may be passed on to the Control Room-Complaint Monitoring Cell constituted for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Election, 2024, for the State of Assam. The complaint or information can be given at the toll-free number 1800 345 3596 or through WhatsApp at 9531460373.

Meanwhile, the EC team had talks with the Chief Secretary, IGP (law and order), senior officials of the Home Department, representatives of various central enforcement agencies, and senior-most secretaries of various departments. The team will meet all district commissioners and superintendents of police in the state on preparations, law-and-order issues, the number of sensitive and hypersensitive poll booths in the state, etc.

According to sources, to prevent the use of black money during the Lok Sabha poll, the ECI team activated the IT and ED sleuths. The ECI also launched a mobile app, c-vigil: citizens be vigilant. Through this app, any citizen can lodge complaints if they see any election-related irregularities. 

Also Read: Election Commission of India team to visit Assam on March 5

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