Search ambulances, govt cars to prevent poll related malpractices: Pb CEO to officials

To ensure free and fair polls in the state, Punjab CEO S Karuna Raju Thursday directed law enforcement agencies to search ambulances and government vehicles to avoid election related malpractices.

The officers of interstate coordination committee held a meeting with the law enforcement agencies here wherein Raju and DGP Punjab Dinkar Gupta took stock of preparations for the elections, an official release said.

They also held discussions with the officers from Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir, it added.

Raju emphasised that Punjab and neighbouring states should ensure the effective setting up of interstate police barriers to check all vehicles including government cars and ambulances to prevent smuggling of intoxicants and arms.

The Chief Electoral Officer also directed that buses and trucks entering the state from Delhi be searched at CCTV equipped checkpoints.

Asking officers to ensure that the rule limiting the expenditure of each candidate to Rs 70 lakh is not flouted, Raju directed the surveillance teams to act against illegal flow of cash, if any, besides monitoring online transactions.

He also said that no one should be allowed to use religious places for election campaigning.