Keep hawk eye on movement of unaccounted cash: Election Commission to observers

NEW DELHI: In a bid to ensure free and fair elections in five states, Election Commission today directed 900 observers to keep a hawk eye on movement of unaccounted cash and any violation of the model code.

At a day-long briefing, the full commission headed by S Y Quraishi apprised them of their duties with special focus on measures to check use of black money in the polls. Election Commissioners V S Sampath and H S Brahma were also present.

Of the total number of observers 600 have been drawn from various government organisations, 100 from police and 204 from the Income Tax department.

The observeres were also briefed about upkeep of EVMs, checking of voters' slips and other drills to be followed during the 'code of conduct' period and during actual polls in states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

The EC also asked the observers to keep in touch with the 24X7 control room created exclusively for the Assembly polls at its headquarters here and report every instance of cash movement and any other instances of poll code violation to it.

The EC had recently announced a seven-phase polls in Uttar Pradesh between February 4 and 28 and single phase elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.

Punjab and Uttarakhand will go to polls on January 30, while elections will be held in Manipur on January 28 and in Goa on March 3.

The counting of votes in all the states will be held on March 4.