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In order to curb the use of money power, freebies as well as drugs, narcotics and liquor in the ensuing elections, the Commission has issued directions to all the Enforcement Agencies for the two-phase Bihar assembly polls and bye-elections in 8 Assembly constituencies.
In a statement, the poll body said that expenditure Observers have already been deployed to monitor the election expenses incurred by the Candidates and have reached their respective Constituencies on theday of the notification of elections. "During the visit they will meet all the teams engaged in expenditure monitoring," the ECI said. "Flying Squads, Surveillance Teams, Video surveillance teams will be vigilant round the-clock to monitor any suspected instances of money power or other inducements being used to sway the voters". The poll body stated that a total seizure of Rs 33.97 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies has been done by different enforcement agencies since announcement of elections. Earlier on Sunday, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar elections, with the BJP and JDU to contest on 101 seats each, the LJP (Ram Vilas) on 29 seats, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha on six seats, and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) on six seats. The NDA partners include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha. In these elections, the NDA will be up against the INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, the Congress, the CPI (ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the CPI, the CPM, and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). This time, Bihar will also see the entry of a new player in the form of Prashant Kishor and his party Jan Suraaj Party. (ANI)
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