MCC Enforcement: Cash, drugs, liquor worth Rs 5.71 Cr seized

Jammu, Aug 29: To uphold the sanctity of the poll process and to accomplish the mission of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide an equitable field to all the contestants in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, the enforcement agencies across Jammu and Kashmir seized Rs 5.71 crore worth of cash, drugs, and liquor in first 12 days of the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The cash and other freebies seized were meant for influencing the voters during the J&K assembly polls scheduled to commence from September 18 in three phases across J&K wherein above 88 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.

“From the date of announcement of assembly elections by the ECI, Rs 5.71 crore worth drugs, liquor, and cash have been seized by various enforcement agencies in J&K in the first 12 days of enforcement of Model Code of Conduct,” a statement of the office of J&K Chief Electoral Officer said.

Major department-wise seizures included seizures by the Police Department valuing Rs 5.02 crore, SGST and CT Rs 52 lakh, and NCB worth Rs 11 lakh.

The Election Department appreciated the efforts made by the enforcement agencies to ensure free and fair assembly polls across J&K.

The statement said that to monitor various election-related activities and also check MCC compliance, a Command and Control Room had been established at the CEO’s office in Srinagar and Jammu.

Similar mini-control rooms have also been established in every DEO office which are functioning 24x7.

All electronic media channels and social media platforms are monitored here and any violation so detected is reported and the concerned RO and ARO issues notice.

Apart from looking for MCC violations, the control rooms also have a live feed of all 100 percent polling stations and GPS vehicle tracking of all vehicles being used for poll parties.