To tackle the potential misuse of drugs and other substances for influencing voters in 2017 polls, Punjab Chief Electoral Office has formulated an action plan on law and order, action against drugs and alcohol with the help of State and national agencies.
Agencies like Punjab police, State Narcotics Control Bureau (SNCB), and National Narcotics Control Bureau (NNCB) will help the state election panel to prevent drugs’ abuse “for influencing the free exercise of franchise by voters in upcoming general elections for Punjab legislative Assembly”.
Besides, monitoring and coordination district and sub-divisional level committees have also been constituted to implement the action plan at field level and for effective control, said Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh on Tuesday.
Giving details, the spokesperson said that the district level committees would be headed by the Deputy Commissioners of the respective district, who will be the chairman besides Commissioner of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police, representative from Narcotic Control Bureau (NNCB), Civil surgeon, Representative from Income Tax Department and Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Nodal officer for Excise department) as its members.
In the Sub-Divisional Committees, sub-divisional magistrate would be the chairman while other members would be Deputy Superintendent of Police, member of SNCB or NNCB, representative of Drug controller or health department at sub-divisional level, representative of excise department at sub-divisional, all circle revenue officers of sub-divisional level and all SHOs of the sub-division.
Defining the functions of these committees, spokesperson said that the committee will adopt two-pronged action as coordination committee for control of misuse of drugs and psychotropic substance, liquor and money, firstly by launching intensive public awareness and behavioural changes communication through SVEEP activities, and secondly, by monitoring law enforcement process and while doing that they will also ensure that enforcement is effective and transparent at the same time.
The committee will send action taken report after each meeting to be conducted weekly and fortnightly. The sub-divisional level committee will send report to district committee and district committee will send the report to the CEO office with copy to Head of the department concerned at State level, spokesperson said adding that the committee can raise any issue of implementation and coordination with higher-level committees and CEO office.