In its bid to curtail use of black money during the polls, the Election Commission has made it mandatory for all citizens to inform the poll body or district electoral officers if they are carrying or withdrawing Rs 10 lakh or more from the bank . Any person found with cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh without informing the EC will face action.
Similarly, the banks have been told to report cash withdrawals in excess of Rs 10 lakh to the district electoral officers. Besides, parties at farmhouses in Delhi will come under the scanner during the elections. After a meeting with the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Income-Tax Department, Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev said airports, railway stations, hotels, farmhouses, hawala agents, financial brokers, cash couriers, pawn brokers and other such agencies would be kept under close surveillance. According to Dev, they are often used for the movement of undisclosed cash during elections.
“The Income-Tax Department will open an air Intelligence unit at the airports to keep vigil on movement of cash. If any cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh is found with anyone, the Income-Tax Department will take action. The Director-General of Income-Tax (Investigation) has been asked to open a 24x7 control room and a complaint monitoring cell with a toll free number to check movement of large sums of cash or other items suspected to be used for bribing of electors,” he added.