Karnataka elections 2023: Cash, liquor, household articles seizure surge compared to last polls

Political parties, which entered the Karnataka Assembly election fray, are luring the voters with cash, liquor and goods. According to the statistics provided by the Election Commission, within the first two weeks of the announcement of the elections, the Election Commission seized Rs 108 crore cash, Rs 20.12 crore worth of liquor and goods.

Bengaluru:The Election Commission has kept a vigilant eye on political parties, which are luring voters, by implementing the code of conduct. Measures are being taken to curb irregularities of parties. Based on information gathered from various election vigilance bodies, strict action is being taken against the violation of election expenditure. Already, Intelligence Squad, Fixed Surveillance Teams, IT Officers, ED, Police and Excise Department officials are striving to stop irregularities.

The code of conduct is the legal procedure followed to prevent election irregularities and conduct free and transparent elections. The code of conduct will be in force from the date of announcement of the election date till the end of polling. All political parties, governments and candidates must strictly follow the code of conduct.

The code of conduct applies to every organisation or office receiving financial assistance from the government, including various government departments, government-owned institutions, corporations, boards, local civic bodies, political parties and candidates. The government cannot announce any new scheme or programme after the implementation of the code of conduct. Inauguration and foundation stone laying cannot be done. No fresh tender can be called. Candidates shall not offer cash, liquor, goods, or any gifts to the voters.

After the implementation of the code of conduct, Ministers and MLAs cannot use government vehicles. Officers cannot conduct progress review meetings. government accommodation cannot be used. Ministers can use government vehicles only for commuting to the office from the official government residence allotted to them. If the minister has to leave Bengaluru for an official visit outside, it should be brought to the notice of the Election Commission.

Permission from the Election Commission and the police station concerned must be obtained for the election campaign, meetings and rallies. Candidates should open a separate account for their election expenses. A maximum of Rs 40 lakhs election expenditure limit was imposed. A total of Rs 94 crore in cash was confiscated in 2022.

In addition, liquor worth Rs 24.78 crore was seized by the Commission. Apart from that, a total of Rs 66 crore worth of items, including sarees and other goods, were seized. The Election Commission seized illegal cash and liquor worth Rs 185.74 crore during the 2018 elections. Compared to the 2013 Assembly elections, during the 2018 elections, eight times more illegal cash, liquor, and other items were seized.

The value of cash, liquor and goods seized in the state has increased five times in the last 12 days as compared to the last time. So, this time it is becoming clear that the political parties have taken the diverted route to woo the voters. According to the statistics provided by the Election Commission, within the first two weeks of the announcement of the election, the Election Commission seized Rs 108 crore cash, and Rs 20.12 crore worth of liquor and goods during the same period of the last election.

In 2018, the Election Commission seized Rs 4.83 crore in 14 days, this time Rs 37.24 crore of cash was seized in 14 days. Last time 12,725 litres of liquor were seized in two weeks, this time 5,23,988 litres of liquor was seized. Last time around 30 kg of drugs were seized, this time 397 kg in two weeks. Last time 10 kg of gold was seized, this time 34.36 kg was seized in two weeks.