Enhance vigil at state borders for smooth, fair elections: EC to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh

A team of the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday asked various departments and law enforcement agencies of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to enhance vigil at state borders for the smooth conduct of Lok Sabha elections.

The directions to the officials came during an inter-state meeting led by Deputy Election Commissioners Hirdesh Kumar and Ajay Bhadoo. The officials who took part in the meeting included bureaucrats, police officers, nodal officers from different departments and senior officials from law enforcement agencies including Income Tax, ED, Customs, according to an official release.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said that during the meeting, the EC team directed state teams to step up vigil on state borders while the authorities assured to further strengthen interstate coordination for the conduct of a smooth electoral process.

The team stressed the need for vigilance over the interstate checkposts across neighbouring states to ensure that no cross-border movement of illicit cash, liquor, drugs or other freebies takes place, Sibin said.

The CEO further said the ECI team was informed that state officials have been asked to step up seizures with support from adjoining border states.

The team specifically urged police and CRPF teams to keep strict vigil and help curtail the drug menace.

"We have enhanced vigil across the state to conduct free and fair elections," the Punjab CEO told the ECI team, according to the statement.