Maharashtra Assembly polls: CEO directs collectors to ensure police vehicles are not used to carry cash

Additional chief electoral officer Kiran Kulkarni said that the office of the CEO took a serious note of it as the statement was made by a veteran political leader from Maharashtra. “It has been instructed to all district collectors to see that police vehicles are not used to provide financial assistance,” he said.

“We have come to know from many districts, from officials that candidates from the ruling parties are getting financial assistance for polls, that police vehicles are being used. Officials of the police department have also said that,” Pawar had claimed.

On the Shiv Sena UBT’s demand to include expenses incurred on the celebration of Deepotsav by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena at the Shivaji Park in the election expenses of the party and the nominee from Mahim Amit Thackeray, Kulkarni said that it has directed the district returning officer to verify the facts in this regard and take a decision.

“The district returning officer will ultimately decide whether to include the Deepotsav expenses in the election expenses MNS or from its Mahim candidate,” he said, adding that the action has been taken on the complaint with regard to the display of Diwali lanterns carrying the MNS nominee’s photos during Deepotsav in line with the stipulated provisions of the model code of conduct.

State CEO S Chockalingam said that they are in the midst of collection of news reports with regard to use of phrase “vote Jihad” by leaders of a particular political party. As per the updated data, the total number of voters in Maharashtra is 9,70,25,119. Among these, 5,00,22,739 are male, 4,69,96,279 are female and 6101 are third gender voters.

Kulkarni said that since the introduction of the model code of conduct cash worth Rs 262 crore has been seized in the state. “As far as the seizure of Rs 5 crore from a vehicle near Pune, the police and income tax are conducting investigation. In the case of a seizure of gold worth Rs 135 crore in Pune, it has been released to the concerned party after investigation as the van carrying the gold was with necessary permission of jewellery supplier to seller,” he added.