GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.847
TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 8TH AUGUST, 2011
Recovery of Unclaimed Money during Elections
847. SHRI RAJKUMAR DHOOT:
SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:
Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:-
(a) Whether it is a fact that the Election Commission of India had, in the recently concluded State Assemblies’ elections, recovered huge unclaimed money during the elections in these States;
(b) If so, the details thereof; and
(c) The action taken after the recovery of unclaimed money by the Commission?
ANSWERS
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(SHRI SALMAN KHURSHID)
(a) and (b) : During the State Legislative Assembly Elections of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry – 2011, the Election Commission of India through its election expenditure monitoring mechanism comprising State Police and Income-Tax Department of the Government of India, had got seized the following amount suspected of being used during the election :-
State |
|
Cash Seizure |
Tamil Nadu |
: |
Rs.36, 54, 48,569 |
Kerala |
: |
Rs.1, 14, 03,620 |
West Bengal |
: |
Rs.8, 53, 79,867 |
Assam |
: |
Rs.2,23,79, 571 |
Puducherry |
: |
Rs.11, 67,265 |
Besides, metal goods worth Rs.21, 62, 54,842 were seized.
(c) The cash seized has been deposited either in concerned State Treasury or handed over to Income-Tax Department for taking necessary action under the Income-tax Law. Wherever unclaimed money is linked with poll offences, cases have been registered. After verification that the money was not meant for bribing of voters, cash amounting to Rs.2,52,96,080/- and goods worth Rs.14,04,87,834 had been returned.