The Telangana Election Commission (EC) seized a large amount of cash and liquor ahead of the Telangana elections, on Monday.
The Income Tax (IT) Department and the police officers, directed by the EC, seized Rs. 55.85 crores and liquor across the State. The IT Department found Rs. 17.77 crores and the Excise Department found 1,81,146.24 litres of liquor worth Rs. 3.99 crores. On the other hand, the police seized an amount of Rs. 38.71 crores and 14,119.77 litres liquor worth Rs. 4.49 crores.
After the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC,) the polling states are under scrutiny. The violation of any of the guidelines enforced by the MCC is prohibited.
Anjani Kumar, the Hyderabad Police Chief, said, “We have recovered Rs. 8 crore cash while 3 cars and 3 bikes have also been seized. Silver and gold were also seized by the law and order department. During the 2015 elections, cash seizure was at Rs. 12 lakh, which is far less than what it is this time.”
Hyderabad has faced approximately 33 cases of violation of law, out of which 16 are full and 3 are partial assembly constituencies, during the campaign for 2018 elections.
The contesting parties were allotted time slots by the EC on All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan for broadcasting and telecasting. The Election Commission released a press release stating, “Out of them, seven are national parties; Congress, BJP, NCP, All-India Trinamool Congress, BSP, CPI and CPM. The remaining are all state recognised parties; AIMIM, TRS, TDP and YSRCP. The period of broadcasts/telecasts will be between the last day of filing nominations and two days before the polling. The Prasar Bharati Corporation (PBC) will decide the actual date and time for the broadcasts and telecasts, subject to the technical constraints governing actual time of transmission available..”
The Telangana elections are scheduled for the 7th of December and the counting of votes will be held on the 11th of December.
