Lok Sabha elections 2024: With political parties campaigning for the General Elections 2024, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has asked its officials to remain vigilant about contraband and smuggled goods that may be used to lure voters as well as the use of non-monetary inducements and cash.
The instructions are part of a standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the CBIC for stepping up of preventive vigilance mechanism by the jurisdictional field formations and to prevent flow of suspicious cash, illicit liquor, drugs and narcotics, freebies and smuggled goods during elections.
The SOP comes soon after the Election Commission of India issued instructions regarding reporting of major seizures of over Rs 1 crore during the elections and implementation of electronic seizure management system (ESMS) for reporting interception and seizures made by various enforcement agencies on real time basis.
The Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management shall carry out a special analytical study of items such as sarees, shirts, caps, masks, scarves, white goods, kitchen items, that might be associated with the candidate or political party in the poll-bound assembly or constituency and could be used as an inducement for votes in states, the CBIC has said, adding that the study should bring out the surge patterns to and within these states and the movement pattern and place of storage of such goods.
Officers have also been asked to monitor movement of goods like sarees, shirts, caps, masks, scarves, party flags that might be associated with the candidates or the political party in the poll-bound assembly or constituency by conducting extensive checking of e-way bills by GST teams at nakas and also ensure stock checking of manufacturers, wholesale distributors and retailers to identify goods that might be meant for election canvassing and for distribution to voters.
It has also underlined that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence should increase its vigil along the international borders and airports and its information gathering mechanism to check the flow of foreign currency, gold, narcotics that could potentially be used for malpractices during the elections.
“ECI has also expressed concern that smuggled goods and contrabands and other illicit articles may be used to lure the voters during the election process, which would need to be checked by the law enforcement agencies including those of the CBIC,” said the directive by the indirect tax department to its field formations. Another aspect that would require focused attention is the use of non-monetary inducements and cash to lure voters, which too would need to be checked by keeping strict vigil on warehouses etc. to prevent the stocking of such goods for distribution.
“Additionally, ECI has stressed on the importance of coordinated and focused attention including proper sharing of information by the field formations of CBIC and all other agencies concerned for ensuring smooth and fair elections,” it stated, adding that senior officials should attend all the meetings called by the Chief Election Commissioner or Member(s) of the ECI or on their behalf.
Officers should also be sensitised about their responsibilities and implement the directions of the ECI especially in use of non-monetary inducements such as sarees, shirts, caps, scarves, white goods, masks, kitchen items, as well as cash to lure voters, apprehend smuggled and illicit and other goods, identification of warehouses used to stock goods for distribution to lure voters, cash movement and also the disseminate information to and from other enforcement agencies.