Special officer named to enforce poll code in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, April 14 (IANS) Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has named senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil as Special Officer to enforce the Model Code of Conduct strictly in the city's three Lok Sabha constituencies where polling is on April 18, it was announced on Sunday.

"Moudgil has been appointed as Special Officer to enforce the poll code for controlling the movement of cash, liquor and freebies in all the three parliamentary seats after it was found that the enforcement teams, including the flying squads were not effectively regulating them," said Kumar in a statement.

Presently the Commissioner for Survey Settlement and Land Records in the state Revenue Department, Moudgil will monitor activities of the enforcement teams and develop software to track their movement daily as it has become a challenge to enforce the poll code and monitor the expenditure of political parties, candidates and their agents, Kumar added.

Meanwhile, the flying squads, static surveillance teams and excise teams have cumulatively seized Rs 15.45 crore in cash, 17,694 litres of country liquor (arrack) valued at Rs 62.14 lakh and 136 kg drugs worth Rs 6.42 lakh from across the state from parties, their candidates and agents since the Lok Sabha elections to the state's 28 seats was announced on March 10 by the poll panel.

The state Excise Department has also cumulatively seized 8.83 lakh litres of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) valued at Rs 35.94 crore from across the state.