The Election Commission of India has decided to set up 148 check posts, including 8 forest check posts, to monitor the movement of money and other inducements at the inter-state borders. This is to ensure a fair election process. Four other departments, including the Police, Road Transport Department, Commercial Tax, and Excise, will also be monitoring the borders closely. There will be a total of 35 check posts in Andhra Pradesh, while Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh will have 26, 24, and 4 check posts respectively.
To prevent any inducements during the elections, 20 agencies from the State and Central government will be working together with the Election Commission of India. The ECI has given clear directions to these agencies to take strict action against the use of money power, prevent the distribution of liquor, cash, freebies, and drugs, and take action against liquor kingpins. They have also instructed the agencies to set up check posts at strategic locations with CCTV monitoring, monitor online cash transfers, and ensure cash transfers are done through designated vehicles during designated hours.
Other directions include monitoring airstrips and helipads in the state, working in a coordinated manner, identifying sensitive goods used for distribution, identifying warehouses/godowns used for stockpiling liquor and freebies, conducting joint operations, keeping check over locally made illicit liquor and forest routes, sharing intelligence among different agencies, checking cargo movement through non-scheduled chartered flights, and submitting a weekly report on seizures.
