ECI to monitor money flow in Telangana assembly elections, identify sensitive constituencies

ECI is keeping an eye on the poll expenditure of candidates and political parties while monitoring the constituencies that incurred higher expenditures in the previous polls in Telangana. Revenue intelligence teams have been deployed to focus on a few constituencies that are expected to spend a huge amount of money this time.

Hyderabad:The Election Commission of India (ECI) will focus on constituencies that made higher poll expenditure in the previous polls and those that are likely to spend a huge amount of money in the upcoming Telangana assembly elections.

Special teams have been formed to identify such constituencies. It is being estimated that a few of the constituencies namely in Rangareddy, Medchal, Nalgonda, and Khammam districts are likely to make higher poll expenditures in the upcoming polls. Such constituencies will be considered as 'sensitive constituencies'.

With money power being considered as a major concern in Telangana, the ECI will keep an eye on poll expenditure. In 2018, several candidates were brought under the scanner for making higher poll expenditures. When the Model Code of Conduct came into force, ECI confiscated a huge amount of cash, liquor, drugs and other items.

The huge amount of money spent in Huzurabad in the last by-elections had triggered a debate across the country. The ECI had also inquired into the matter. Also, steps were brought in place to curb election expenditures.

Revenue intelligence teams have been set up in the districts where expenditure is likely to surge. This apart, around 20 enforcement agencies under the central and state governments have been deployed for monitoring the ground level situations.

People who are found withdrawing large amounts of cash from banks will be monitored. The focus has been laid on the constituencies that have incurred higher expenditures in the previous elections and the seats that are likely to spend more in the upcoming elections. The constituencies with a probability of spending higher amounts will be determined by considering a few factors namely its expenditures in the previous elections, the current conditions, the candidates who are contesting and others.

This time, some of the constituencies of Rangareddy, Medchal, Nalgonda, and Khamm are being monitored as it is being apprehended that they will spend huge amount of money in the elections. Usually, constituencies that are prone to witness law and order problems are identified as sensitive constituencies. In 2018, 13 constituencies sharing borders with neighbouring states were identified as sensitive constituencies.

It has been reported that these constituencies are likely to spend a higher amount of funds in the election and so are being included in the list of sensitive constituencies. These will remain in focus from the beginning.