Tough task

The Election Commission ordered enhanced vigil at 185 checkposts on Karnataka’s border with six neighbouring states to prevent any unauthorised movement of inducements such as cash, liquor, freebies and drugs ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls. The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, held a virtual meet with top officials of Karnataka, its neighbouring states of Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well as representatives of central agencies to review the election arrangements and law and order coordination.Chief secretaries, police chiefs and nodal police officers of Karnataka and the six neighbouring states and nodal officers of central forces and senior officials from enforcement agencies such as Coast Guard and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) attended the meeting. The poll panel directed state teams to enhance vigilance on the state border. CEC Kumar specifically emphasised on the need for vigil at the 185 inter-state checkposts to ensure that no cross-border movement of illicit cash, liquor, drugs, freebies takes place.While taking note of seizure of more than Rs 305 crore till date as compared to Rs 83 crore in the last assembly elections, Kumar said there was a need to fix responsibility of local officers failing to control money power.