Despite note-ban, polls awash with cash

There has been a steep increase in seizure of cash, liquor and drugs by the Election Commission during the ongoing assembly elections as compared to five years ago, data from the poll panel show.

The cash haul alone in pollbound states has gone up three times from ₹49.70 crore in 2012 to ₹173.43 crore, contrary to the expectations of the government and the poll panel that demonetisation would reduce unacco– unted for money in circulation.

Elections to pick new state assemblies are underway in Uttar Pradesh; Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and 8; while Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand have just concluded the electoral exercise.

The election commission, aided by income tax officials and state police forces, carry out drills to check misuse of money during elections. Inspections and raids are conducted to swoop down on freebies as well — in Goa, for instance 175 Rado watches were among goods confiscated .

Apart from cash that is used to bribe voters, the panel also keeps an eye out for political parties and candidates using liquor, drugs and ‘gifts’ to incentivise voters.

As per the commission’s data from January 4, when the model code of conduct came into force, till February 18, the total cash seized from four states is about ₹173.43 crore. Data is yet to be collated from Manipur.

Uttar Pradesh tops the list with a cash haul of ₹109.79 crore, with Punjab second with ₹58.02 crore. Uttarakhand comes next with ₹3.38 crore and Goa ₹2.24 crore.

The data released by the EC, however, does not identify the parties or candidates from whom the seizures were made. EC sources could not also explain why, despite the dip in available cash after the note-ban late last year, there is no let-up in spending on liquor and drugs.

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