EC for crackdown on illicit cash, liquor in Bihar polls

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday asked enforcement agencies and security forces to take proactive and preventive action during the Bihar elections to ensure drugs, liquor and cash are not used to sway voters.

The meeting was held to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to combat the pernicious effects of cash and other inducements in elections, the poll authority said.

The different agencies briefed the commission regarding their preparation, steps taken and proposed to be taken for ensuring inducement free elections.

The briefings were on a wide-range of topics pertaining to curbing the use of money and other inducements to vitiate elections were made, the EC said.

The commission instructed that there should be co-operation and sharing of intelligence on economic offences amongst law enforcement agencies for effective action. It emphasised the intra-agency co-ordination in each enforcement agency at the national, state, and district levels.

The commission also directed that the agencies concerned map the constituencies to check transportation of smuggled goods, drugs, liquor and cash, including fake currency, inter-state borders and international borders.

The agencies were asked to ensure policy of ‘zero-tolerance’ for free and fair elections in Bihar.