New Delhi: Cracking down on money power during General Elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has on average seized Rs.100 crore each day since March 1, 2024. Already the ECI has seized Rs. 4650 crores even before even before the first phase of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha elections commences on Friday, April 19, 2024. This is higher than the total number of seizures in 2019 polls and marks a sharp increase of over Rs 3475 crores seized during the entire Lok Sabha election in 2019.
With General Elections 2024 underway, ECI said today it is on track for the highest-ever seizures of inducements recorded in the 75-year history of Lok Sabha elections in the country.
The Commission also pointed out that in January and February 2024, the months preceding the official announcement, countrywide seizures totalling another Rs. 7502 crores were recorded in the form of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies.
“This brings total seizure to over Rs 12000 crores so far with six weeks still left in the election period,” the ECI said.
Significantly, 45% of the seizures are of drugs and narcotics, which are under the special focus of the Commission. Notably, following a substantial focus on drug seizures, they accounted for approximately 75% of the total seizures in January and February 2024.
The seizures are a critical part of ECI’s resolve to conduct the Lok Sabha elections free of inducements and electoral malpractices and to ensure a level playing field. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the polls last month, underlined Money Power as one of the ‘4M’ challenges.
On April 12, 2024, the Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu reviewed all Central Observers deployed in Phase -1 of elections going to poll on April 19, 2024. Tightening, monitoring and checking were among the focus of deliberations to ensure an inducement-free electoral process, the ECI stated.
The Commission stated that during reviews it always emphasised that there would be multi-pronged surveillance on all modes of transport – check posts and nakas for road transport, Coast Guard for coastal routes and District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police alongside agencies for air routes including checking of helicopters and non-scheduled flights.
Stressing that the enhanced seizures reflect ECI’s “unwavering commitment” to monitor inducements and curb electoral malpractices for a ‘level playing field’, particularly in favour of smaller and less resourceful parties, the Commission highlighted an incident in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, where it suspended the flying squad team leader for laxity in duty and selective checking of a cavalcade of a prominent leader. Similarly, officials checked vehicles in the convoy of a Chief Minister of a state and also the vehicle of a Deputy Chief Minister in another state.
The ECI said it has so far also taken “strict action” against approximately 106 government servants who have been found assisting politicians in campaigning, thereby violating the Code of Conduct and instructions.
– global bihari bureau
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