Elections to the Lok Sabha: IT department puts up a control center to monitor illicit funds flow

A toll-free hotline has been released by the Income Tax Department in an effort to stop the use of illicit money in the next Lok Sabha elections.

District Election Officer/Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori made this statement here on Friday. He said that the Election Commission has assigned the Income Tax Department the duty of acting as a nodal agency to stop the abuse of black money, hawala cash, and other such funds during the elections.

The Income Tax Department at Aayakar Bhawan, Sector 17-E, Chandigarh, has set up a 24×7 control center for this purpose. Its WhatsApp number is 7589166713, and its toll-free number is 18001802141. Concerns about hawala cash flow, dark money, and other electoral issues will be heard in the control room.

A bike rally was conducted on Friday at DAV College, Hathi Gate, as part of the Systematic people Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign to educate people about their right to vote.

The voter hotline app was downloaded by students from nine Central Government colleges and institutions, according to Barinderjit Singh, Nodal Officer, SVEEP, Amritsar Central. Furthermore, students who were older than eighteen (18) swore to vote impartially and without regard to religious affiliation, caste, or greed. They committed to casting unbiased, pressure-free votes. On that particular day, 1,500 students downloaded the app. In an effort to inspire the kids, he said that everyone should be aware of the significance of the right to vote in a democratic society.