Income Tax department to keep special vigil at airports during Gujarat, HP polls

NEW DELHI: The Income Tax department will put in place a team of special expenditure observers at airports in view of upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.

An officer of the rank of Chief Commissioner will also oversee all the election related deployment of these I-T teams in these two states after the Election Commission recently asked the CBDT to extend its manpower in this regard.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had earlier also asked its probe Directorates based in Chandigarh (for Himachal Pradesh), and Surat and Ahmedabad (for Gujarat) to deploy senior officials and staff as 'expenditure observers' for these polls, the schedule for which is expected to be announced soon.

The CBDT has asked the I-T units in these states to equip their Air Intelligence Units (AIUs) in the airports with CCTV cameras and a proper procedure should be followed while intercepting or seizing unaccounted cash.

The EC, which has a special cell to monitor cash and other expenditure for polls, has also asked the I-T department to keep a check on Hawala traders and other agents.