NEW DELHI: Election Commission Tuesday held a meeting with chief secretaries, chief electoral officers and police chiefs of poll-bound states/UT and 12 other states they share borders with, to review overall election preparedness, law and order issues and expenditure enforcement.Special focus was placed on bordering districts and the sealing of borders to maintain peace and order in the poll-bound states/UT, EC said in a statement issued after the meeting, which was also attended by heads of various enforcement agencies.EC said the meeting, chaired by CEC Gyanesh Kumar along with election commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, discussed poll readiness; enhanced coordination; law and order situation; seizures of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, arms; and review of expenditure-sensitive constituencies across Assam, Kerala, TN, Bengal and Puducherry.“The EC directed all concerned to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free elections,” said an EC spokesperson.Senior officials of the poll-bound states briefed the election body on their overall preparation, law & order issues and expenditure enforcement and any concerns or pending issues with central agencies and neighbouring states.The neighbouring border states were directed to take all possible steps to aid the poll-bound states/UT in checking poll inducements and violence.Heads of agencies like CBDT, CBIC, ED, DRI, CEIB, FIU-IND, RBI, IBA, NCB, ICG, BCAS, AAI, Postal Service, CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, RPF, ITBP, Indian Coast Guard and Assam Rifles were instructed to ensure heightened vigilance in poll-bound states/UT and in areas bordering these states/UT, with enhanced checks at inter-state check posts.
