NEW DELHI: Ever since the Bihar Assembly elections were announced on October 6, the Election Commission has seized Rs 34 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies till date, with the help of various enforcement agencies.
In order to curb the use of money power, freebies as well as drugs, narcotics and liquor in the ensuing poll, the EC has issued directions to all the enforcement agencies, including the state police, to remain extra vigilant.
In a statement issued by the poll body, it stated that expenditure observers had already reached their respective constituencies on the day of the notification of elections. During their visit, they would meet all the teams engaged in expenditure monitoring, the panel said further.
The commission has also activated the online Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) for reporting of interceptions/seizures made by the flying squads and enforcement agencies on a real-time basis during the election period.
It further said that the poll body had also underlined that the enforcement authorities should ensure that ordinary citizens were not inconvenienced or harassed during the checking and inspection for the enforcement of these directives. Any member of the public can also complain regarding such violations through the C-Vigil app, said the EC.