The Income Tax department has set up a 24x7 control room with a toll-free number to receive complaints from the public on the illegal use of money for elections in poll-bound Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
According to a statement issued by the department, in connection with the State Legislative General Assembly election 2021, to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and bye-election to Kanyakumari Parliamentary constituency to be held on April 6, 2021, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought the assistance of the Directorate General of the Income Tax (investigation) to monitor election expenditure. The role of the directorate is to provide assistance for free and transparent fair elections by controlling the role of unaccounted funds in the election process, it said.
In pursuance of this objective, the investigative directorate will take proactive steps to discover and seize unaccounted funds intended to be utilized for electioneering.
"As part of this initiative, the Director-General of Income-tax (Investigation), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry sets up a 24x7 control room with toll-free number, designated fax and facility email and WhatsApp to receive complaints/ information from the public," the statement read.
Persons who have knowledge/information about storage, possession or movement of large amounts of cash have been requested to pass on the information through any of the above modes mentioned above jewellery and valuables.
Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2. The term of the fifteenth Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu is ending on May 2, 2021. As many as 6,28,23,749 electors will choose candidates for the sixteenth legislative assembly in Tamil Nadu.
Polling for 30 assembly seats in Puducherry will be held on April 6. Of the 30 Assembly seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates. As many as 10,02,589 electors will choose the candidates for the 15 legislative Assembly of Puducherry.
( With inputs from ANI )
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