Hyderabad: 148 check posts to be set up by Election Commission

Hyderabad: As part of strict vigil on the Inter-State borders and to keep in check movement of money and other inducements, the Election Commission of India has decided to set up 148 check posts, including 8 forest check posts.

Besides Forest check posts which will be the first time being set up, four other departments including Police (89), Road Transport Department (14), Commercial Tax (16) and Excise (21) will be closely monitoring the movement from across the State borders. With 17 districts of Telangana sharing borders with 4 States, AP will have 35 check posts, while Karnataka, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh will have 26, 24 and 4 respectively.

For ensuring ‘inducement free election’, 20 agencies of State and Central government will work in coordination with ECI, which gave clear directions to these agencies.

Directions to Enforcement Agencies

- Strict action against use of money power during elections

- Dry up inflow and distribution of liquor, Cash, Freebies, drugs.

- Action against Liquor Kingpins

- 148 Check Posts on strategic locations with CCTV monitoring

- Strict vigil over illicit online cash transfers through wallets

- SLBC to transfer cash during designated hours in designated vehicles

- Monitoring of airstrips and helipads in the state by concerned agencies8.

- All Enforcement agencies to work in cohesive and coordinated manner

- Identification of sensitive goods with high probable use for distribution10. Identification of warehouses/godowns used for stockpiling liquor and freebies

- Joint Operations by agencies including Police, Excise & Transport departments

- Forest dept to keep check over locally made illicit liquor and strict vigil over forest routes

- Intelligence sharing amongst different agencies

- Checking of cargo movement through non-scheduled chartered flights and sharing of information with other enforcement agencies

- Weekly report on seizures to be submitted