Guwahati, Mar 17: The Income Tax Department has set up a 24x7 control room in Assam to monitor and curb the circulation of black money ahead of the upcoming Legislative Assembly Elections 2026, officials said on Sunday.
The initiative, undertaken by the Directorate of Income Tax (Investigation), North Eastern Region, Guwahati, aims to support the Election Commission of India (ECI) in ensuring free and fair elections scheduled on April 9, 2026, in Assam and Kerala.
During the Model Code of Conduct period, strict vigil will be maintained over the movement of unaccounted cash, bullion, precious metals, and other valuables suspected to be used for electoral purposes.
The control room has been operationalised at Aayakar Bhawan, Christian Basti, GS Road, Guwahati, allowing citizens to report credible information regarding suspicious transactions or distribution of cash and valuables via mobile, WhatsApp, landline, and email. The department assured that informants need not disclose their identity, and all shared information will remain strictly confidential.
“The Control Room will remain functional until the election process concludes,” the release stated, urging citizens to actively contribute to transparency and integrity in the electoral process.
The move is part of broader efforts to strengthen democratic values and prevent the misuse of unaccounted money during elections.
The ECI on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in four states—Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu—and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Assam and Kerala will vote in a single phase on April 9, West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29, Tamil Nadu on April 23, and Puducherry on April 9. The counting of votes across all states and Puducherry will take place on May 4.
Overall, elections will cover 824 Assembly constituencies with an electorate of about 17.4 crore voters. Nearly 2.19 lakh polling stations will be set up, with around 25 lakh personnel deployed to conduct the elections.
The terms of current assemblies are set to end on different dates: May 20 in Assam, May 7 in West Bengal, May 10 in Tamil Nadu, May 23 in Kerala, and June 15 in Puducherry.
