The Election Commission (EC), which has begun tracking movement and distribution of goods and monetary transactions to ensure inducement-free elections, has set up a network of 171 checkposts in border areas.
The election schedule is likely to be announced soon and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will come into force thereafter. With political functionaries across parties enticing voters with freebies, the EC is keeping an eye on election irregularities across Karnataka.
To monitor movement of goods and other materials including narcotics, the EC has set up 171 checkposts in the border areas of six neighboring States that are adjoining 19 districts in Karnataka. EC officials said the number of these checkposts are likely to be increased based on requirement after the MCC comes into effect. All district Deputy Commissioners have been directed to set up surveillance cameras with webcasting facilities at these checkposts.
Acknowledging that a major concern in Karnataka is the use of money power, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, during review of preparations in the first week of March in Karnataka, had said that although the EC was prepared in terms of physical infrastructure, the State agencies were lagging behind in regulating the distribution of freebies.
Following the ECI’s directions, the inter-State checkposts have been set up along the National Highways and State highways entering Karnataka from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa where vehicular movement and suspicious arrivals and departures can be tracked.
EC officials said Karnataka’s Chief Secretary and the CEO have sought the cooperation of police and other enforcement agencies from neighboring States. Multiple enforcement agencies such as State police, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Excise, Income Tax, Central Board Of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Indian Coast Guard and Enforcement Directorate apart from Airport Authority of India and Reserve Bank of India have been involved.
