Record seizures worth over Rs 35 cr made during Bihar Polls

Officials made record seizures worth Rs 35.26 crore as part of the expenditure monitoring process during the Bihar Elections 2020, according to the Election Commission on Tuesday.

"For effective monitoring to curb black money in General Election to Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020, Election Commission of India has deployed 67 expenditure observers in the state of Bihar. Commission has also has appointed Madhu Mahajan, ex-IRS(IT):1982 & BR Balakrishnan, ex-IRS(IT):1983, officers having formidable domain expertise & impeccable track record, as special expenditure observers for general election to legislative assembly of Bihar, 2020," said a press statement from the Election Commission.

The ECI said that after due assessment, 91 assembly constituencies were marked as expenditure sensitive constituencies for more focused monitoring. As many as 881 flying squads & 948 static surveillance teams have been formed for election expenditure monitoring work for the assembly elections of Bihar. On expenditure monitoring, commission has convened various meetings with senior officials of Bihar & neighbouring states.

It said that distributing cash & gifts during electoral process is not permitted under the law, e.g., distribution of money, liquor, or any other item disbursed & given to the electors with the intent to influence them. This expenditure comes under the definition of "bribery" which is an offence both under 171B of the Indian Penal Code & under Representation of the People Act, 1951. The expenditure on such items is illegal.

According to the apex poll body, details of record seizures already done so far (as on 19 Oct 2020)- compared to a total of Rs 23.81 cr in Assembly Elections 2015 are as follows: Assembly Elections, 2020 (Upto Oct 19, 2020) Rs 35.26 crores plus Rs 79.85 lakh (Nepali currency). In Assembly elections 2015, Rs 23.81 crores.

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