There are reports of cash shortage from many parts of the country but the cash crunch seems to be affecting only the common man, and not politicians, especially those in Karnataka.
The Election Commission on Tuesday announced that the total cash seized from March 27 to April 24 (when the Model Code of Conduct came into effect) almost equals the combined amount of cash seized during the 2013 Assembly and the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
While Rs 14.42 crore was seized during the 2013 polls, Rs 28.08 crore was seized in 2014. Both of them together amount to Rs 42.5 crore. Incidentally the amount of unaccounted cash seized this election till Tuesday was Rs 41.94 crore and there are more than two weeks to go for polls.
Polls are set to be held on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15.
The spike is not only witnessed in unaccounted cash seizures but also in illegal liquor seized due to violation of poll code.
A total of 112,877 litres of alcohol was seized in the last two major elections— 2013 Assembly elections and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The figure for the same in this elections till date is 409,099.785 litres. This means that the seizures till now is more than three times the combined quantity of 2013 and 2014, as 296,221.785 more litres of alcohol have been seized.
In terms of monetary value, till now the amount of liquor is almost seven times than that of 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The Election Commission in a release however, clarified there is no bar on legitimate sale and availability of liquor to those who want to procure it for their regular consumption and the enforcement should not affect legitimate trade and the state’s revenue.
Till Tuesday, the Excise Department had also temporarily suspended 303 excise licences for bars and retails shops in Bengaluru alone for violating poll code conduct. The number for the whole state is 793. This is also in stark contrast to 2014 Lok Sabha polls when only 14 outlets were shut during the polls.