2,993 cases of poll malpractices registered in State

The Election Commission and the police have registered as many as 2,993 cases pertaining to electoral malpractices across Karnataka over the last 45 days.

According to the Election Commission, not less than 21 cases of transporting cash of Rs 10 lakh or more of unaccounted money, have been registered as on the morning of May 4. The total seizure of cash amounts to Rs 17.75 crore. Twenty-eight persons have been arrested in connection with transporting money unaccounted for.

“The biggest haul was from the residential premises of the JD(S) candidate of Hiriyur, with Rs 2.65 crore being seized by the Income Tax Department.

“The next large sum of unauthorised money, close to 60 lakh, has been seized in Chitradurga,” Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said.

Huge flow of liquor

According to Jha, there has been a huge flow of liquor to Karnataka from neighbouring states.

“Liquor boxes have been seized mostly in North Karnataka districts which border Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. “However, we cannot specify that the liquor was meant only for the districts of North Karnataka (N-K),” he said. As on May 4, the Election Commission has seized 83,360 litres of unauthorised liquor in various districts of N-K.

The liquor seized will be auctioned according to the rules of the State government after the elections are over, Jha added.

The poll panel has also seized several household items and mobile recharge coupons as well. While 30 pressure cookers were seized in Challakere of Chitradurga district, 500 tender coconuts were seized in Bommanahalli.

The tender coconuts had the name of the candidate and the party symbol on them.

Attempts to lure voters with silk sarees, T-shirts etc have been curbed with strict enforcement of the model code of conduct. In total, the Election Commission has registered 797 first information reports across the State. When questioned whether the EC would pursue the cases, Jha said there was no question of the Commission not pursuing the cases with seriousness.