“We have seen that cash seizures have been quite large and high (every assembly election). These seizures are quite significant,” CBDT Chairman said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also spoken about the surge in the seizure of cash and illegal inducements during various state polls.

Last year, the ECI said that there has been a “significant and exponential increase” in seizures during polls in five states Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

More than ₹1,760 crore worth of freebies including cash, jewellery, narcotics, liquor, and some other items were seized in these five states, which is more than seven times ( ₹239.15 crore) the seizures made in previous assembly elections in these states in 2018, according to the Election Commission.

EC seizes over ₹1760 crore from poll-bound states; Rajasthan, Telangana lead

The tax personnel found that the seizure of cash during all the assembly polls held in 2023 was more than two times higher than in the corresponding period of 2018.

Similarly, cash seizures made during assembly elections held in 2022 were six times higher than the comparative period of 2017.

If jewellery is added to this cash amount recorded by the tax department, then the seizures for 2023 are three times higher than in 2018 and similarly seven times higher during the 2022 vs 2017 comparative period, as per the PTI report.

In 2023, assembly polls were held in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana. ANd, in 2022, the legislative elections were held in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Published: 05 Feb 2024, 12:45 PM IST