Mysore/Mysuru: Elections are about more than campaigns and rallies, which has been proved by the tactics employed by candidates who have trotted out cash, alcohol, saris, wristwatches and even biryani to lure voters into backing them while exercising their franchise.

Gone are the days when people were won over with country brew. Standards have gone up as now, shiny bottles of foreign brands are up for grabs. Despite the Election Commission’s vigil to prevent the use of inducements by candidates, complaints about the rampant use of money power and liquor have been pouring in and parties do not spare any efforts to announce an array of sops to influence voters.

Taking the issue seriously, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Dr. K.V. Rajendra has asked his staff, flying squads, static squads and people manning over 45 check posts to be extra vigilant about transportation and supply of liquor to woo voters.

At a meeting with Excise Department officials and officers from the Commercial Tax Department yesterday, the DC directed the Excise Department to increase their vigilance and crack down on illegal sale of liquor and keep a watch on the vulnerable population like tribals who are likely to be influenced with liquor.

Daily stocks to be checked

The DC called for increasing the vigilance level in the border taluks of H.D. Kote and Saragur and crackdown on sale of illicit and illegal liquor. He directed the officers to visit all liquor shops every day to check the stocks, purchases and supply and book them if there are any discrepancies.

They should keep a vigil on the voters being lured with alcohol at the wine shops or their bills being settled by others at bars and restaurants. The owners of the bar and restaurants should be warned about the legal consequences, he stressed. The checking must be intensified 48 hours ahead of voting, during the dry days, during which voter inducement is usually high,  the DC said.

Check on after-hours meetings

Officers must take into account the many after-hours meetings that happen in youth and sports clubs, makeshift electoral camps, party supporter’s houses or eateries in the remote villages of the district where liquor is supplied. Bars and restaurants have to be monitored to ascertain if people were being lured through offers of liquor or if there was bulk purchase of liquor, the DC said.

Officers were instructed to regularly monitor and subject vehicles to thorough checks at the border check-posts and thoroughly scan them for freebies and liquor hidden in the interiors and special compartments under the seats. The Commercial Tax Department officials were instructed to inspect all goods and daily needs vehicles entering Mysuru district from Kerala  and Tamil Nadu.

“Check posts at inter-State borders must have heightened vigil round the clock and all seizure and checking procedures must be photographed and videographed. Bulk transport of cookers, sarees, vessels should be scrutinised and the material should be seized on slightest suspicion,” the DC told the officers.

Excise Department District Officer Ravishankar, Kambanna of Commercial Tax Department and other officials were present.