New Delhi | The Election Commission on Friday asked enforcement agencies and security forces to take pro-active and preventive action during the Bihar elections to ensure drugs, liquor and cash are not used to sway voters.
The meeting was held to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to combat the pernicious effects of cash and other inducements in elections, the poll authority said.
The different agencies briefed the commission regarding their preparation, steps taken and proposed to be taken for ensuring inducement free elections.
The briefings were on a wide-range of topics pertaining to curbing the use of money and other inducements to vitiate elections were made, the EC said.
The commission instructed that there should be co-operation and sharing of intelligence of economic offences amongst law enforcement agencies for effective action.
It emphasised the intra agency co-ordination in each enforcement agency at national, state and district level various levels.
The commission also directed that the agencies concerned to map the constituencies to check transportation of smuggled goods, drugs, liquor and cash, including fake currency, inter-state borders and international borders.
The agencies were asked to ensure policy of 'zero-tolerance' for free and fair elections in Bihar.
The chief secretary and DGP of Bihar will also join the meeting online along with state chief electoral officer.
Aimed at ensuring pro-active and preventive action by each law enforcement agency during the elections, the EC discussed the strategy to curb covert expenditure by candidates and political parties.
It also fine tuned cooperation and sharing of intelligence of economic offences among law enforcement agencies for effective action.
Bihar shares its international border with Nepal.
The committee includes 17 departments - CBDT, CBIC, ED, DRI, CEIB, FIU-IND, RBI, IBA, NCB, RPF, CISF, BSF, CRPF, SSB, BCAS, AAI and Department of Posts.
Bihar goes to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 while votes will be counted on November 14.