Hyderabad: The Election Commission is doing nothing to effectively control the flow of money during the elections. So far, only Rs 129 crore has been seized, while the actual quantum of cash flow runs into hundreds of crores.
In spite of clear instructions from the EC to not withdraw cases during the elections, as many as 101 cases booked during the 2009 polls were withdrawn. Candidates booked in the previous general elections still have not faced trials and 95 per cent of them are contesting again.
In a study conducted by the Forum for Good Governance, the district of Kadapa was found to be one of the most problematic places. During the 2009 general elections, 14 cases were booked and Rs 13.36 lakh in cash was seized. Of the 14 cases, five have been dropped and six people have been acquitted. Three other cases are still in the court.
In the 2011 (by-polls to Parliament), 40 cases were booked and '288.88 lakh was seized. No cases were registered. As per the survey, in this election, candidates are spending between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per voter.
