Over Rs 1,150 crore in cash and jewellery have been seized by the Income Tax Department, during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, sources said on Friday. This marks an 182% increase compared to the Rs 390 crore seized during the last general elections in 2019.
Among the states, Delhi and Karnataka recorded the highest amount of seizures, with over Rs 200 crore of cash and jewellery seized in each state.
In Tamil Nadu, seizures worth Rs 150 crore were made, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha where over Rs 100 crore worth of cash and jewellery were seized collectively.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had announced the Lok Sabha Elections on March 16, after which the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was enforced nationwide.
Since then, the Income Tax Department has been seizing unaccounted cash and valuables that could potentially be used to influence voters.
Central agencies have been placed on high alert to ensure adherence to guidelines, focusing on monitoring the movement of cash, liquor, freebies, drugs, jewellery, and other items that could influence voters.
Each state has established 24x7 control rooms to check the illegal movement of cash that could be used in elections by politicians. The MCC applies to all political parties and candidates, aiming to prevent unethical practices and promote ethical conduct.
Individuals found carrying cash over Rs 50,000 or new items worth over Rs 10,000 without supporting documents will have these items seized. If the individual provides valid documents proving the items are unrelated to the elections, they will be returned.
However, if the seized cash exceeds Rs 10 lakh, it will be forwarded to the Income Tax Department for further scrutiny.
(With agency inputs)
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