Excise dept faces EC rap

DEHRADUN: The Election Commission of India (ECI) Thursday pulled up the Uttarakhand excise department for its “sluggish” pace in taking action against misuse of liquor to influence voters in the state.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi and fellow commissioners, who reviewed the poll preparedness in the hill state over two days, also set up intelligence units to monitor the cash flow in the run up to the polls on February 15.

Speaking to the media in Dehradun, Zaidi said that they found the working of the state excise department as unsatisfactory as it has failed to check the use of illicit liquor to influence voters. He said the state administration has been asked to ensure that excise machinery was activated to check such malpractice.

“We have conveyed our dissatisfaction to the chief secretary and other senior officials. The commission has asked the chief secretary to find the source of the illicit liquor and take necessary action to check its flow,” said Zaidi.