Poll expenditure monitoring mechanisms to be put up at airports
IT officials to man flow of cash by air
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 16 2011:
For effective monitoring of poll-related expenditures for the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections next year, units of Air Intelligence of Income Tax department would be deployed at the New Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and Imphal airports.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting held today at the office chamber of Chief Electoral Officer PC Lawmkunga.
The meeting chaired by the CEO was also attended by North East Director of Income Tax (Investigation) DP Haokip, DIG (Armed Police-I) S Manglemjao and Assistant Commissioner (Excise) K Joykumar, said an informed source.
It is said that the Air Intelligence units of the Income Tax Department that would be deployed at these airports immediately after election notification is issued would keep a close tab on the movement of politicians, specifically on the transfer of money on the aerial route.
The State Assembly elections, scheduled in the early part next year, is likely to be conducted in two phases.
Confiding that for monitoring of election-related expenditures at the constituency level assistant expenditure observers would be nominated in addition to formation of flying squads of the Income Tax Department for the same purpose, the source said that the CEO asked the police department representative at the said meeting on whether escort personnel could be provided to the flying squads.
At all the nine districts and sub-divisions of Jiribam and Kangpokpi one team each of the flying squad would be stationed for which the CEO would apprise the Chief Election Commission of India to provide Central para-military force personnel for escort duty in case the State police department cannot spare its men for the said task, explained the source.
A detailed discussion to formally adopt an action plan with regard to monitoring of poll-related expenditures is scheduled for November 18 which will be chaired by the CEO and attended by all the Deputy Commissioners.
With a vision to ensure effectiveness of the election expenditure monitoring mechanism, an awareness cum training programme on the said issue will be organised on November 29 and 30 for which the DCs, Returing Officers, SPs, representatives of the Excise Department, political parties and NGOs would be invited.
In another unprecedented move for effective monitoring of the election expenditure, a control room of the Income Tax Department that would function round the clock would also be established, said the source.
It is also informed that taking into account excessive use of alcohol during election time inspite of Manipur being a dry State, all 39 Excise department posts would be activated as soon as official election notification is issued.