GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT 

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.847

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 8^TH 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 :-

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.