Jharkhand: EC directs ban on illegal transport of money, CEO claims JMM charges baseless

Ranchi, October 21: The Chief Electoral Officer Jharkhand K. Ravikumar has said that it is mandatory to follow the guidelines of the Election Commission of India so that all candidates get equal opportunity in the assembly elections.

During a meeting with enforcement agencies  in Ranchi on Monday, Ravikumar said that during the election, attempts may be made to influence voters through the movement of illegal money. Regarding this, it is the duty of all enforcement agencies to completely ban illegal money and illegal material.

He directed the Forest Department to stop the movement of illegal material by conducting intensive checking at all its checkposts. He directed the Income Tax Department to conduct intensive raids on the possible hideouts of illegal money and its movement and put a stop to it. In the meeting, instructions were given to impose a complete ban on the possible hideouts of narcotics and their means of movement by conducting raids.

The chief electoral officer has termed the allegations levelled by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha regarding the short duration of voting in rural areas as baseless and without facts on his social media handle.

K Ravi Kumar, while addressing the media at the Election House, also termed the allegations levelled regarding the short duration of voting as baseless.

Presenting the facts, he said there are a total of 29,562 polling stations in the state, out of which 24,520 polling stations are in rural areas and 5,042 polling stations are in urban areas.

Except for 981 Naxal-affected rural polling stations, the voting time in 23,539 rural polling stations and urban polling stations is from 7 am to 5 pm.

In the 2014 and 2019 assembly elections, the voting time was kept from 7 am to 3 pm at 89% (22,132) and 63% (18,555) polling stations. This time, the time for voting at only 3% (981) polling stations has been kept from 7 am to 4 pm, which has been possible only due to the special efforts of the commission.

The voting time is publicised adequately. Whatever be the time of voting, all the voters standing in the queue at that time get full opportunity to vote.