With the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election having gained notoriety for being powered by big money, the Election Commission is on high alert in this election.
Since August last year, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, poll personnel have already seized cash and other goods worth ₹537 crore in Karnataka. The seizures include ₹151 crore in cash, liquor worth ₹42 crore, drugs worth ₹126 crore, gold worth ₹71 crore and other items valued at ₹144 crore. Besides, the Election Commission has seized ₹43.62 crore from March 16, when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force, till date.
During the Assembly polls of 2023, the total pre-poll seizures in Karnataka, including cash, liquor, drugs, and precious metals, had touched a whopping ₹733.43 crore till the day of election on May 10. This is excluding ₹288.25 crore worth confiscations by the Enforcement Directorate.