CEC to review poll preparations in TN today

Soon after his arrival along with two Election Commissioners, he proceeded to Puducherry by road to chair a meeting with the CEO, state police, nodal officers and other officials of enforcement agencies. The EC team will have separate meetings with political parties, DEOs, SSPs, DIG and IGP besides, Chief Secretary, Excise Commissioner and IT officials, before leaving for Chennai on Thursday afternoon. 

In Chennai, the EC team would hold a meeting with political parties on Thursday and with Collectors and police officials on Friday, before leaving for New Delhi. 

In fact, Governor Raghuram Rajan had said on Tuesday that “Around election time, cash with the public does normally increase,” after the announcement of the first bi-monthly monetary policy at the RBI headquarters here. He had admitted that cash in people’s hands is more by up to Rs 60,000 crore at present, which is abnormal. 

Data released by RBI suggested that there was a 48 per cent increase in currency circulation at Rs 2 trillion for the week ended March 18, which has led to various theories and calls for need to keep a tab on the matter. 

Recently, with the first phase of polls conducted in West Bengal and Assam, Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday, said its teams have seized over Rs 49 crore illegal cash in the five poll-bound states, with the maximum Rs 20.40 crore confiscated in Tamil Nadu. 

The seizures have been made by EC-appointed special flying squads and surveillance teams and those drawn from the Income Tax department. The model code of conduct for these polls came into force on March 4 when the EC announced the schedule for the five states and soon after wards the special teams were deployed to curb the use of illegal inducements to voters.