Excise department steps up efforts to crack down on illicit liquor to ensure free and fair elections

A Correspondent

Dibrugarh: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April 11 for the 13-Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, efforts continue to ensure free and fair conduct of the elections. As part of this effort, 75 cases have been filed thus far for violation of the Excise Act. Apart from filing of these cases since the announcement of the election date till March 25, the Excise Department has seized, among other things, commodities used for brewing 4,350 litres worth of illicit liquor, 682 litres of sulai, around 335 litres of foreign liquor and 124 litres of country liquor.

As per the Excise Department, the total value of the seized items amounts to Rs 1,28,125. The Excise Department, in response to the direction of the district administration, has stepped up the effort to crack down upon illicit liquor since the date for holding the forthcoming elections was announced. As a corollary, 16 dedicated teams have been assigned for areas falling under different revenue circles to keep an eye on manufacturing, sale or stocking of such liquor to avoid instances of voters being lured by any political party by offering them liquor.

Similarly, flying squad teams and static surveillance teams have been deployed across the district to check cases of violation of the Model Code of Conduct and high-value cash transactions. The Model Code of Conduct Violation Cell has also, in line with its duty, has taken down several banners, hoardings and posters.

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