With the Election Commission of India (ECI) cracking the whip on providing cash for votes and warning bureaucrats to take action or face action, the Tamil Nadu police are chalking out elaborate strategies to effectively curb distribution of money or freebies to voters by political parties.
In a two-day meeting chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar, and Election Commissioner of India Arun Goel with IAS/IPS officers here last week and the communications that followed, the ECI had minced no words in conveying the message that any incident involving distribution of freebies or money to voters would mean “severe” action on the concerned Commissioner/Superintendent of Police that might impact their career, sources said on Sunday.
Though there was an option to place the Flying Squad Teams (FST) and Static Surveillance Teams (SST) at the disposal of Poll Observers, the ECI said that the teams would remain under the command of the Returning Officers (Collectors) or Commissioners or SPs. However, the commission would not hesitate to change its mind if the desired results were not achieved, the sources added.
Money power
Recalling instances of distribution of money to voters in Aravakurichi, Vellore, and R.K. Nagar among other places in the past resulting in countermanding of elections in these constituencies, the ECI urged IAS/IPS officers to take steps to eradicate the role of money or muscle power in influencing the voters, the sources added.
Besides IAS/IPS officers, the CEC and Election Commissioner of India held discussions with enforcement agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Directorate of Enforcement, and Central Industrial Security Force. “The ECI has made it clear that detection of money or free distribution should result in registration of case against the party functionaries involved and the candidate. This may not only result in arrest of the accused persons, but also in debarring of the candidate. They have reiterated that the responsibility in ensuring free and fair elections starts and ends with the Collectors/Commissioners or SPs, as the case may be,” a senior police officer told The Hindu.
The CEC acted tough while reviewing the preparedness of the State machinery. “When a top police officer explained the steps taken to curb distribution of money or freebies, the CEC said that the points appeared good on paper. He gave the officer 30 minutes to write down a more effective plan of action,” the officer who did not want to be quoted said.
He said that Collectors and those holding other senior positions in law-enforcement agencies were told to ensure that this Lok Sabha election was free from any inducements, and held in a transparent manner.
“I will not mind serving in an insignificant post in the rest of my career than being punished by the ECI for dereliction or inefficiency in the next three months. Such actions will enter into the service record and affect the promotion, deputation and empanelment prospects of an officer in future,” another police officer said.
Besides law-enforcing agencies, the ECI is relying on the people to stamp out attempts to bribe voters such as cash-for-vote and other means of inducement like distribution of gifts, and liquor among others.
cVIGIL App
The ECI had made an appeal to the people to utilise the movile app, cVIGIL, to enable the public report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during elections. The app is available for download on Android and iOS platforms, the officer said.
According to the Commission, to report a violation, users would have to select the type of violation in the application and provide details of the incident, including location, time, and photographs or videos. The application allows users to track the progress of their complaints.
