5 teams to monitor bypoll expenses

The team members have been following the candidates on their campaign trail to keep track of their expenses. The team will take note of the money spent on the shamiyana, chairs, the stage, for election meetings.

Former health minister B Sriramulu, who is contesting as an independent and Congress candidate B Ramprasad have set up offices at various places for electioneering. The rentals for the office buildings too will be included in the election expenses.

Deputy Commissioner A A Biswas, who is also the Returning Officer, said a separate unit has been set up to keep an eye on election-related news in electronic and print media. The staff at the unit will correlate their findings with that of the mobile team.

Food distribution
Two observers have already arrived in the City. The Commission has appointed one more commissioner, exclusively for Bellary, who is expected to reach the City in about two days. Biswas said distribution of food by a few people near the old BJP office had been videographed on Sunday.

Security
Ten wards and 64 villages come under the Bellary Rural Assembly constituency and eight check-posts have been set up to keep an hawk’s eye on movement of vehicles. Paramilitary forces will be deployed on the polling day.

Platoons of Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Rapid Action Force will reach the City by November last week, Biswas said.