As many as 35,655 polling stations with nearly 60,000 ballot units will be used on polling day 30 November, the chief electoral officer has said.
Published Nov 23, 2023 | 7:29 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 23, 2023 | 7:29 PM
Income Tax Department office in Hyderabad. (Official Website)
The chief electoral officer (CEO) of Telangana said on Thursday, 23 November, that law enforcement agencies had seized unaccounted-for cash, gold, liquor, and “freebies” worth over ₹669 crore in the state since 9 October, even as the election authorities try to ensure free and fair polls.
As many as 35,655 polling stations with nearly 60,000 ballot units will be used on polling day 30 November, Telangana CEO Vikas Raj told reporters on Thursday.
He further said all the vehicles carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to their respective destinations would be fitted with GPS so that the movement of every vehicle is tracked by officials.
“We are geared up to conduct the elections. Polling parties will take EVMs and other materials from the distribution centres and go to the field by 29 November,” he said.
He further said that about 3 lakh employees would be on poll duty on the last two to three days of the polls to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. The counting of votes will be taken up on 3 December.
The total cumulative seizure by law enforcement agencies from 9 October, when the schedule for the Telangana Assembly elections was announced, to 13 November was valued at over ₹552.7 crore, he said earlier.
On 25 October, the Hyderabad police said that their Commissioner’s Task Force Central Zone Team arrested two individuals and seized ₹10 lakh in an operation aimed at cracking down on a hawala money-transfer racket.
The cops arrested two Congress workers on 9 October for allegedly trying to woo voters by distributing pressure cookers at Gopanpalli Thanda. They were distributing pressure cookers allegedly on behalf of Serilingampally constituency Congress leader Raghunath Yadav.
On 10 October, the Commissioner’s Task Force (North Zone) and the Banjara Hills police in Hyderabad seized unaccounted-for money worth ₹3.35 crore during a vehicle-checking operation in Banjara Hills.
During an inspection at the TV9 Signal Junction on Road No 3 in Banjara Hills, the passengers of a vehicle were found behaving suspiciously, leading to a thorough search. Subsequently, the unaccounted-for money was found concealed in the vehicle.
Further investigation revealed that Chimpireddy Hanumantha Reddy, an employee of a private firm, and the other individuals in the vehicle were involved in the collection and distribution of hawala money across the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
The Congress earlier lodged a complaint against the police to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar regarding poll-related checks. The party claimed that these checks were inconveniencing the general public.
The Income Tax (I-T) Department has formed Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in all 33 districts in Telangana and deployed 150 officers for election duty.
It said a round-the-clock control room and Complaint Monitoring Cell had been set up to receive information or complaints from the general public regarding cash and other items intended for illegitimate use in the election process.
The Complaint Monitoring Cell can be contacted at:
Toll-free number — 1800-425-1785,
Landline 040-23426201, 23426202,
WhatsApp, Telegram – 7013711399,
e-mail: cleantelanganaelections@incometax.gov.in
Furthermore, Air Intelligence Units (AIU) have been set up at Begumpet Airport and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for 24×7 surveillance in coordination with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
The AIUs at all other airports in India that have connectivity to Hyderabad have also been informed to be on alert and monitor passengers travelling to the Telangana capital.
The Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) app is being used for the first time by the ECI in this election for verification of seizure reports.
Polling for the 119-member Assembly would be held on 30 November, while counting of votes would be taken up on 3 December.
(With PTI inputs)
