Poll panel toughens norms to prevent misuse of cash

Patiala : Carrying cash in the state will soon be monitored by various agencies as the Election Commission (EC) wants to ensure a check on the misuse of cash in the poll-bound state.In the backdrop of the demonetisation drive, the EC “fears that political outfits could use money power to woo voters” during elections and have passed strict guidelines to district-level polling officials to ensure compliance. The EC wants that cash under Rs 10 lakh be probed for its source while income tax officials be informed if the cash seized is above this figure.
Though sources say that the use of cash would be minimal in these elections as no one would be able to accumulate the new currency in quick time, “however, we cannot take chances”, said a senior official.
The recent guidelines are stricter than EC instructions issued during Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry in early 2016 where cash seizures had crossed Rs 113 crore.
Sources said that the EC, as part of its measures to curb black money in elections, has planned to deploy expenditure observers.
The poll panel has also asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Financial Intelligence Unit to keep a strict vigil on movement of unaccounted cash.
A high-level coordination meeting of Punjab and Haryana police officers was held in Patiala on Friday to discuss the issue. The officers discussed in detail how to “seal borders to check cash and drugs” intrusion.