EC deploys I-T sleuths to prevent black money in election

In an effort to prevent usage of black money in election process, the Election Commission of India has deployed the Investigation Directorate of the Income-tax Department to give all assistance.

The Director General of Income-tax (Investigation), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has set up a 24X7 control room with toll free number, designated fax and facility of e-mail to receive complaints or information.

According to a tax official, the Election Commission documents suggest that Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are top in usage of such money in election purpose, and the tax department's effort is to stop any such transactions. In 2011, during the Assembly elections around Rs 55 crore was seized from Tamil Nadu during the election time.

This year, so far the officials have seized around Rs 51.82 lakh in cash and Rs 19 lakh worth of gold, transferred illegally. The department is deploying one team each in 34 districts to monitor the movement of money and its sources, said the department officials.

"The Election Commission of India has deployed the Investigation Directorate of the Income-tax Department, to give all assistance for smooth, free and fair conduct of elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," said S Ravi, chief commissioner of Income Tax - I & CCA, Chennai.

He said that for this purpose, all Airports in the State, major Railway stations, Hotels, Farm Houses, Hawala Agents, Financial Brokers, Cash couriers, pawn brokers and other suspicious agencies or persons likely to be used for movement of undisclosed cash during election process are to be kept under close surveillance by the Directorate of Income-tax (Investigation).