Money watch in Meghalaya elections

SHILLONG, JAN  31:In an effort to ensure candidates for the February 23 Assembly elections do not exceed their expenditure limits during campaigning, the state election department has asked the banks to report to the district election officers any withdrawal in excess of Rs 10 lakh even as the sleuths of the Income Tax’s investigating department have been deputed throughout the state to keep an eye on  money trail.

The directive was issued by the DEO of all the districts in Meghalaya to the banks under their jurisdiction.

The election department and the income tax department have begun the surveillance on the possible use of black money by candidates and their supporters to win over voters through inducement. Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank Limited (MCAB) managing director DF War told this website Thursday that the directive from the East Khasi hill DEO came to him on Wednesday. He said, “Withdrawal of more than Rs. 10 lakhs by any account holder of the bank will have to be reported immediately to the DEO and the election department. “

In its letter to the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Union Ministry of Finance the Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that as “The use of the black money vitiates the purity of election process, it is necessary to make arrangement to curb the use of black money during the elections.” Following the ECI directive, the election expenditure monitoring cell and sleuths of the Income Tax investigating department have been immediately put into service in the state capital and all the sensitive areas to keep vigil on the possible use of “black money” for election purpose. The income tax sleuths are keeping a close surveillance at all the important places like hotels, farm houses, hawala agents, financial brokers, cash couriers, pawn brokers and other suspicion agencies and persons who are likely to be used for movement of undisclosed cash during the election process.

This precautionary measure is being taken besides the regular check by the state election department which has constituted flying squad in all the districts to oversee the possible use of money power during the election process.- By Our Reporter