During the session, agencies presented their preparedness and ongoing efforts to prevent the misuse of money and other inducements that could undermine the fairness of the elections.
Photo: X/@ECISVEEP
The Election Commission of India held a high-level meeting on Friday at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, with heads of various enforcement agencies to devise a comprehensive strategy to curb the flow of cash, drugs, liquor, and other inducements that threaten the integrity of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the poll panel said in a press statement.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, addressed representatives from key enforcement bodies, underscoring the critical role of proactive and preventive action during the electoral process.
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The meeting, held under the aegis of the Multi-Departmental Committee on Election Intelligence (MDCEI), brought together top officials from agencies including the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Railway Protection Force (RPF), The Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, State Police Nodal Officer, and Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar also participated virtually.
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During the session, agencies presented their preparedness and ongoing efforts to prevent the misuse of money and other inducements that could undermine the fairness of the elections. The Commission directed enhanced cooperation and intelligence sharing among these bodies to effectively tackle economic offences.
Emphasizing on the necessity of robust intra-agency coordination, the ECI instructed law enforcement at national, state, and district levels to work seamlessly. A key directive included mapping constituencies and closely monitoring the movement of smuggled goods, narcotics, liquor, cash, and counterfeit currency across inter-state and international borders.
The Commission reiterated its firm stance on maintaining a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy to ensure free and fair elections in Bihar, sending a clear message that any attempts to compromise the democratic process will be met with stringent action.
This coordinated crackdown aims to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process in Bihar, reinforcing public confidence in democratic governance amid a complex and challenging political landscape.
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