Rs 29 crore seized in Andhra Pradesh within 4 days of code of conduct
TIRUPATI: With the Election Commission of India sounding the bugle for the general elections-2019, the flow of cash coming into the State is much higher than the previous polls with all political parties willing to go to any lengths to induce voters. The cash and gold seizures made in the last four days after the Code of Conduct came into effect, is a clear indication of how money power has a gripping influence over the elections.
From about Rs 100 crore seized in 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the 2014 Lok Sabha elections saw a cash seizure of Rs 313 crore. According to unconfirmed reports, in the cash seizures list during 2014 polls, AP topped the list with over Rs 153 crore. cash seizures followed by Karnataka with over Rs 28 crore.
Maharashtra with over Rs 25.67 crore, Tamil Nadu with over Rs 25.05 crore and Uttar Pradesh with Rs 24.07 crore. The total cash seizure stood at Rs 3,13,31,76,868.
Now, within four days after the announcement of the Code of Conduct, the Enforcement teams working under ECI has seized over Rs 29,91,99,984 in cash besides 13.57 kg of gold and 31.5 kg silver during searches across the State.
According to the chief electoral officer, Gopala Krishna Dwivedi about 70 vehicles, 190 gelatine sticks, 50 kg of ammonium nitrate and 124 kg of ganja were also seized during the raids in the last three days.
“The Excise and Prohibition Department has been operating 31 border check posts, 46 temporary check posts and 18 mobile teams while the Commercial Taxes Department deployed 161 mobile teams, of which 60 have been working round-the-clock. In addition, fully-equipped control rooms have been established across the State and as many as 6,600 flying squads, 6,160 static surveillance teams and video surveillance teams have been formed as field investigation units”, the CEO said.
