ECI makes highest seizure of inducements recorded in history in 2024 Lok Sabha elections
ECI cracks down on money power: Rs.100 crore seizure each day since 1st March
Rs. 4650 crores seized even before polling begins: Higher than total seizures
in 2019 polls
Commissions says action will continue to be strict and non-stop
With General Elections 2024 underway, ECI is on track for the highest
ever seizures of inducements recorded in the 75-year history of Lok Sabha
elections in the country. Enforcement Agencies
have made a record seizure of over Rs. 4650 crores in ECI’s resolute fight
against money power even before the first phase of polling for the 18th Lok
Sabha elections commences on Friday. This marks a sharp increase over
Rs 3475 crores seized during the entire Lok Sabha election in 2019.
Significantly, 45% of the seizures are of drugs and narcotics, that are under
the special focus of the Commission. The seizures have been possible by
comprehensive planning, scaled up collaboration and unified deterrence action
from agencies, proactive citizen participation and optimal engagement of
technology.
Use of black money, over and above political
financing and accurate disclosure thereof, may disturb the level playing field
in favour of more resourceful party or candidate in specific geographies. The
seizures are a critical part of ECI resolve to conduct the Lok Sabha elections
free of inducements and electoral malpractices and to ensure a level playing
field. CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the polls last month, underlined
Money Power as one of the ‘4M’ challenges. On 12 April, Commission led by
CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu reviewed
all Central Observers deployed in Phase -1 of elections going to poll on 19 April.
Tightening, monitoring and checking were amongst the focus of deliberations to
ensure inducement-free electoral process.
The enhanced seizures reflect ECI’s unwavering
commitment to monitor inducements and curb electoral malpractices for a ‘level
playing field’, particularly in favour of smaller and less resourceful parties.
In an incident in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, the
Commission suspended the flying squad team leader for laxity in duty and
selective checking of a cavalcade of a prominent leader. Similarly, officials
checked vehicles in the convoy of CM of a state and also vehicle of a Dy CM in
another state. Commission has also taken strict action against
approximately 106 government servants who have been found assisting politicians
in campaigning, thereby violating the Code of Conduct and instructions.
In the press briefing during announcement of
Parliamentary elections, CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar stressed in his presentation on
strict compliance of BCAS instructions on surveillance and inspection of
non-scheduled aircrafts and helicopters by Income tax, airport authorities and
SPs of concerned districts, border agencies to keep close watch on
international checkposts and GST authorities to closely monitor godowns,
especially makeshift godowns meant for storing freebies. The Commission during
reviews had always emphasized that there will be multi-pronged surveillance on
all modes of transport - check posts and nakas for road transport, Coast guard
for coastal routes and DMs and SPs alongside agencies for air routes including
checking of helicopters and non-scheduled flights.
How has it been made possible?
1. Election Seizure Management System (ESMS)-
breaking silos and bringing all enforcement agencies on one platform through
use of technology is proving to be a game changer. With
the introduction of technology in monitoring process, ESMS, an ECI in-house
developed portal is proving to be a catalyst. The novel innovation for
real time reporting of interceptions and seizures, avoiding duplication of
seizures was tested in the last round of Assembly elections.
The portal facilitates digital trails and
availability of seizure information at the click of a mouse enabling quick and
timely reviews at all controlling levels. As per data, 6398 District nodal
officers of various agencies, 734 state nodal officers, 59000 flying squads
(FS) and Statics Surveillance Teams (SST) have been on boarded on ESMS platform
for exhaustive real time monitoring and updates. All nodal officials have been
trained on various aspects of using ESMS. The system took firm root during Assembly
elections during 2023, when Rs 2014.26 crores was seized as against Rs 239.35 crores in the previous corresponding elections. With successful implementation
and feedback from the field in the last round of assembly elections, it has
been reviewed and made robust before implementation in ongoing elections.
2. Meticulous and exhaustive planning, involvement
of largest number of Enforcement Agencies: The largest number of enforcement agencies both
from Centre and States have been assembled for collaborative effort among agencies.
Months prior to elections and more intensively from January 2024, senior
officials from the Election Commission visited every State and Union territory
to emphasize the importance of combating the influence of money in elections.
Furthermore, districts were thoroughly reviewed, and discussions were held with
Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police (DGPs), and heads of enforcement
agencies to assess their performance and encourage heightened vigilance against
the misuse of financial resources during elections. Field-level
personnel are also subject to ongoing reviews by Chief Electoral Officers
(CEOs), Observers, and District Electoral Officers (DEOs). Often, discoveries
made by one agency ‘inform and guide’ the actions of others, leading to a
unified and widespread deterrent effect. Commission has also emphasized the
importance of joint teams comprising relevant agencies in inspecting
inducements through various means—road, rail, sea, and air—during electoral
visits to States/UTs. As a result, in January and February, the
months preceding the official announcement, countrywide seizures totalling
another Rs 7502 crores were recorded in form of cash, liquor, drugs, precious
metals and freebies. This brings total seizure to over Rs 12000 crores so far with
six weeks still left in the election period.
3.
Increased focus on drug menace in society: Notably, there was a substantial focus on drug
seizures, which accounted for approximately 75% of the total seizures in
January and February 2024. Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar had
emphasized the importance of agencies' efforts in seizing drugs and narcotics
during his visits to nodal agencies. He highlighted that besides the risk of
dirty money being used to influence elections, drugs pose a serious social
menace with the potential to harm communities, particularly youth. The
Commission has also collaborated with the Directorate General of the Narcotics
Control Bureau and its senior officials to identify key routes and corridors
for drug trafficking and ensure effective countermeasures are in place. Over
the past few years, significant seizures have been made during elections to
State Assemblies, including during the operation of Model Code of Conduct in
States like Gujarat, Punjab, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, and Mizoram.
5.
Identification
of Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies: 123 Parliamentary
Constituencies are marked as Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies for more
focussed vigil. These constituencies had either had a history of distribution
of inducements in previous elections or have inter-state and international
borders with potential inflow of drugs, cash, and liquor.
6. Deployment of Expenditure Observers: Senior
officers appointed as Expenditure Observers serve as the eyes and ears of the
Commission for a fair and inducement free elections. A total of 656 Expenditure
Observers have been assigned to Parliamentary Constituencies, while 125 are
deployed in Assembly Constituencies across Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra
Pradesh, and Sikkim. Special Expenditure Observers with a brilliant track record of domain
expertise and experience with election processes have also been deployed in
States/UTs.
7. Use of cVigil: cVigil app of the Commission has also reinforced the
expenditure monitoring process through complaints directly from citizens on
distribution of any type of inducements. Since announcement of election
schedule, a total of 3262 complaints have been received pertaining to
distribution of cash, liquor and freebies.
8. No harassment to citizens: At the beginning of the current
elections, there were reports in the media about tourists undergoing
unnecessary checks and hassles by ground-level teams. Taking this matter
seriously, the Commission promptly issued an advisory to all Chief Electoral
Officers (CEOs) regarding the need for a careful and courteous approach when
inspecting tourists and citizens. Additionally, the Commission directed the
constituted 'District Grievance Committees (DGC)' to hold daily hearings at
designated locations for the swift resolution of grievances related to
seizures. CEOs and DEOs were instructed to ensure the effective functioning of
these committees.
These
measures serve as the cornerstone of a comprehensive expenditure monitoring
process, resulting in increased seizures with least inconvenience to the
public. With campaigning intensifying in the days ahead, the Commission stands
prepared to enhance its vigilance to ensure an inducement-free electoral
process in line with its commitment.