Assam: Income Tax department deploys teams to curb use of black money in upcoming Lok Sabha polls

Guwahati: The Investigation Directorate of Income Tax Department, North East Region, has deployed monitoring teams in the form of a control room cum complaint monitoring cell in Guwahati. The control room will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rapid Action Teams (RAT), District Monitoring Teams in each of the districts of the state, and Air Intelligence Units (AIU) in all the airports of the state are also deployed to curb the use of black money in the election process. The monitoring teams are constituted to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections to capture the movement of unaccounted cash and its role in the election process, etc. as per the guidelines and mandates issued by the ECI from time to time. In this regard, any complaint or information about cash or other items suspected to be used for bribing voters may be given to the Control Room through a toll-free number or WhatsApp, a statement said. The complaint or information can be given at the toll-free number 1800 345 3596 or through WhatsApp at 9531460373. In line with the preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, a team of the Election Commission of India arrived in Assam's Guwahati on Tuesday. The agenda of the team includes meetings with officials and political parties to review the security arrangements in the state. Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told media that, the state government has requested the ECI to schedule the elections in Assam before the Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu celebration. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)