Collector and District Electoral Officer Rajesh Sukumar Toppo on Tuesday directed officials to carry out thorough checking of the vehicles of candidates and prominent persons as per the directives of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The Collector also directed that during the searches by flying squads and monitoring teams to unearth money or any other material meant for luring of voters the general public must not be harassed.
He said that if the permanent monitoring cell finds cash of Rs 10 lakh or above with any person, it must immediately report the matter to the officials of the Income Tax Department.
Toppo said that the officials must not seize cash if a person is found to be carrying Rs 50,000 or less even if with the poll campaign material.
If the investigating team receives complaints of cash being distributed with the poll campaign material, they must seize the cash amount and initiate action against the persons under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.