Himachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Maneesh Garg on Friday directed all the state nodal officers to intensify vigilance and monitor election expenditures in the state.

He directed them to ramp up efforts to control the illegal movement of liquor, cash, and drugs, besides completely putting a stop to illegal mining in the state.

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Garg on Friday held a video conference with various state and central law enforcement agencies, including officers from the state police, state taxes and excise, postal department, ITBP, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and Income Tax department.

“As the polls are just a few days away, the agencies concerned should intensify their checks to reduce illegal activities and ensure inducement-free and fair elections in the state, a principle upheld by the Election Commission of India as well,” he said.

The CEO emphasised close coordination of the departments involved in ensuring law and order, besides ensuring seizures of all types.

Garg directed the police department to impound bank and postal department vehicles carrying cash if they are found operating without authorised QR codes generated from the ESMS system.

He said that the Flying Squad Teams (FSTs) should thoroughly check every vehicle without exception, including buses from both state transport and private operators, without causing any inconvenience to passengers. The FSTs should have tie-ups with other FST teams along their routes, he added.

The CEO also directed the postal department and banks to monitor multiple transactions of small values to and fro from single accounts, besides keeping an eye on big transactions.

While reviewing the seizures, Commissioner, state taxes and excise, Yunus said that 5.24 lakh bulk litres of illegal liquor had been seized since the imposition of the model code of conduct. The total seizures made by the state taxes and excise department amounted to Rs 8.81 crore.

Inspector General of Police J P Singh gave detailed information on the Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) and FSTs deployed to check any type of illegal activities.

He said that 212 SSTs have been constituted, consisting of nearly 1,600 police personnel, besides 213 FSTs having a deployment of nearly 560 personnel.

“The police have seized cash, liquor, and ornaments worth Rs 4.96 crore. The total quantity of seized liquor was 1.46 lakh litres. Besides, the NCB seized drugs worth around Rs 3 lakh. Overall seizures in the state worth Rs 13.79 crore have been reported since the imposition of the code of conduct, besides mining challans totalling nearly Rs 36 lakh,” Singh said.