IT department swings into action to check money bags before elections
New Delhi [India], Mar 11 (ANI) A special control room at the Income Tax Department here became operational on Monday to check the flow of unaccounted money as the country heads for general elections starting April 11.
ANI
Mar 11, 2019 18:07 IST
By Shailesh Yadav
New Delhi [India], Mar 11 (ANI) A special control room at the Income Tax Department here became operational on Monday to check the flow of unaccounted money as the country heads for general elections starting April 11.
About half a dozen IT sleuths will be working round-the-clock. Any person can call a dedicated toll free number 1800 117 574 and give information related to unaccounted money being used by any candidate or party leader.
An additional director-rank officer of the Investigation Directorate Wing has been appointed as the nodal officer on the direction of Election Commission. He is being assisted by two assistant nodal officers and a team of two income tax officers and four inspectors.
A senior official told ANI that the control room will submit a report on the seizure of cash every alternate day to the Election Commission. The Income Tax Department has set up 25 control rooms across the country.
These control rooms will collect information through fax, e-mails, news channels, newspapers, individuals and district election officers. Some control centres have been set up at airports.
Once a control room gets information about unaccounted money, the information will be recorded in a prescribed register and passed on to the nodal officer for necessary action.
If the information is about unaccounted cash or bullion not related to bribery of electors, then the nodal officer will discuss with concerned Principal Director of Income-tax and obtain warrant or authorisation to conduct verification survey or search.
Control rooms will have to prepare a daily report and send it to a nodal officer and the election expenditure monitoring cell.
According to the Model Code of Conduct, no person can carry cash above Rs 10 lakh or bullion weighing one kg or more without reasonable evidence.
The control rooms will also verify information received from district election officers regarding cash withdrawals in excess of Rs 10 lakh from bank accounts. (ANI)
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