I-T officials, banks to check suspicious transactions

Mumbai: The State Election Commission has decided to rope in government officials and private banks to monitor suspicious transactions and cash flow for the municipal and zilla parishad elections.

As many as 12 senior officials of the Income Tax Department will be part of the State expenditure monitoring committees to be formed in major cities and rural areas. There are 35 such committees functional already.

Chief Electoral Officer Jageshwar Swarup Saharia said the committees will, for the first time, include officials from the Railways, Coast Guard, Forest Department, municipal corporations, Excise and the police. “We have asked banks to report any suspicious transactions and withdrawal or deposits. I-T sleuths have been asked to keep a watch on Hawala operators and pawnbrokers,” he told

The Hindu . The committees will report directly to the municipal commissioners and collectors, who in turn will report to the CEC.

Maharashtra will have two-phase elections to 10 municipal corporations, 26 zilla parishads, and 283 panchayat samitis. It is estimated that seven crore voters will elect 1,258 corporators, 1,558 members of district councils, and 3,116 panchayat samiti members.

The airport and private charter flights have been brought under the ambit of the committees. Mr. Saharia said the Railways will monitor cash and liquor flow from trains coming from Nandurbar, Chandrapur and Bhusawal. While Forest Department officials will monitor mangrove and reserve areas, the police will keep a watch on six entry check points into the State, and the coast guard will monitor movements in the sea.