TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: With Parliamentary elections 2014 been announced for Goa, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) is on high alert to keep a check on freebies to induce to voters. Distribution of freebies is a common practice adopted by the candidates across party to woo voters.
The CEO through a circular issued earlier this week has asked the commissioner of commercial taxes to keep track of sales of consumer goods, including electronic goods such as refrigerators, television sets, washing machines and mobile sets as well as bicycles and two-wheelers until Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April 12.
The department has been directed to collect details of sale of all these items along with details of sale of previous year 2013 during January till mid-April. Along with the department, the dealers are also directed to submit day-to-day details on purchase and sale of goods.
“The idea is to detect any sudden and unexplained rise in the sale of such products. In order to check the flow of freebies from across inter-state borders, check posts are set up,” a senior CEO official said. These measures are aimed at deterring contestants as well as the dealers and transporters who hide information about large sales of such goods from the commercial taxes.
CEO has already formed 35 flying squads and 55 surveillance teams to keep watch on the sensitive and expenditure sensitive polling stations. Two expenditure observers, one for each district are also appointed.
Assembly elections March 2012 had witnessed large sale of electronic items, bicycles and two-wheelers across the state. However, there was no formal complaint that time and since the dealers kept the information under rap, CEO failed to take any action against those party candidates.
