Telangana: Election Commission lens on cash gifts, voter-luring gambits

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the chief electoral officer (CEO), Telangana, to increase vigilance on cash distribution and curb the efforts to lure voters.

Reacting to reports in the media, including TOI report on distribution of cash, liquor and freebies, ECI has directed that flying squads and static surveillance teams announce through public address systems fitted on to vehicles in local language that “accepting bribe is an offence”.

CEO Vikas Raj on Sunday said that printing ballot paper for EVMs and postal ballot was completed and EVM commissioning has commenced in the presence of representatives of political parties and contesting candidates. He said commissioning of EVMs would be completed by October 25 as per schedule. He added 35% additional EVMs and VVPATs were allotted to returning officer as reserve.

In Munugode constituency, 345 voters who were over 80 years of age and 394 differently abled voters had submitted Form 12 D within specified time, to cast their votes through postal ballots. Schedule for casting of postal ballots by senior citizens and PwD voters, in accordance with ECI instructions, has been prepared, he said.

Vikas Raj said that 12 cases had been booked and 2.5 crore has been seized since the date of notification for the Munugode bypoll. Police and excise personnel had seized 1,483 litres of liquor, booked 77 cases and arrested 36 people, he said.

ECI has appointed IRS officer Subodh Singh as second election observer along with Samatha Mullapudi, also an IRS officer, as expenditure observers to Munugode. The principal director of income tax (Investigations) has deputed seven personnel from the department to Munugode to help expenditure observers control flow of illicit cash in the constituency.