A 24x7 central control room with a toll free number, landline phone number, mobile number, fax number and e-mail id has been made operational in Hyderabad by the income-tax department to keep a close watch on ostentatious expenditure during elections, including movement of undisclosed cash, jewellery and other valuable items, which may be used to influence the voters.

B Venkateshwar Rao, IRS, additional director of income-tax (investigation), Hyderabad, has been appointed as the state I-T nodal officer to oversee election-related activities.

As directed by the Election Commission of India, the AP unit of I-T department has deputed ten IRS officers of deputy director of income-tax (investigation) as district nodal officers.