The State Election Commission (SEC) has appointed observers to monitor the election expenditure of candidates contesting in various local bodies in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.
The officers will keep an eye on the expenses incurred for the election campaigns by political parties and candidates and the election process in their respective jurisdiction.
George P. Mathachan, Forest Chief Conservator of the High Range Circle, has been appointed the General Observer for the local body polls in Kottayam. Salamma Baselios and G. Binu Kumar, Joint Directors with the State Audit Department; Senior Deputy Director Habeeb Muhammed; and N. Sukumaran, Joint Aecretary with the Public Administration Department; are the non-expenditure observers.
In Pathanamthitta, Periyar Tiger Reserve Field officer K.R. Anoop, has been appointed the General Observer. N. Gopakumar, Additional Secretary in Finance Department, and Joint Secretary M. Anil Kumar are the expenditure observers.
Limits
A candidate in grama panchayats is permitted to expend a maximum of ₹25,000 while the upper ceiling for those contesting to the block and municipalities and the district panchayats have been fixed at ₹75,000 and ₹1.5 lakh respectively.
Excise drive
In view of the polls, the excise officials have launched special drives comprising patrols and special checks, besides opening special control rooms across the two districts. Striking forces have been deployed to monitor different parts of the districts and combined raids with other enforcement agencies are also being held.
Further, patrolling of vehicles has been intensified along key roads, especially during night, in addition to inspection of interstate vehicles. In view of the festival season, the drive will continue till January 5 next year.