Goa’s glittering casinos, slush money and flowing alcohol will be top-of-the-mind for the Election Commission of India as far as poll preparations in Goa are concerned, even as Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said that there was “serious concern” about the money being stashed and diverted through the influential casino lobby, which operates in the State.
Zaidi and his team of poll officials were in Goa, to update themselves on the preparations carried out in the State, in view of the State legislative Assembly elections, which are likely to be held early next year.
“We conducted a meeting with State Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary. We have asked them to ensure that casinos are not misused. They should keep tabs on casinos,” Zaidi said.
Zaidi also said, that political parties in Goa had submitted written representations to the Commission about the possible misuse of the casino industry to launder money and stock cash-piles ahead of the elections.
“They have given us written representations. We have also had a briefing with the Chief Secretary and we have conveyed our concerns, serious concern, about likely misuse of casinos and likely undue haste in finalising schemes without figuring the statutory provisions,” Zaidi said.
A ban on the casino industry, Zaidi said, may not be necessary, but tabs need to be kept on the casinos in the State. “We do not need to interfere in their normal day-to-day activities since this is a tourism-oriented place, but we will keep track on activities related to diversion of funds and we have told the chief secretary that his machinery should be kept tabs on them,” he also said.
Goa has around five offshore casinos and nine onshore casinos, which are located in the State’s numerous resorts, especially in the coastal areas.
Zaidi also said that special measures were being undertaken to ensure that illicit alcohol does not flow into Goa from the neighbouring States and that CCTVs on border check points would be set up to ensure the same, along with focus on gathering intelligence and keeping tabs on known bootleggers.
Recent hauls of new denomination notes in Goa, amounting to more than Rs 1.25 crore was also a cause for concern, the Chief Election Commissioner said.
“We hope that in the election there would be less use of cash (due to demonetisation). But the feedback received about seizure of cash and storage of money or probability of use of casino to park cash are a matter of concern. That is why we have said that there would full effort to prevent use of money in the elections,” he also said.