Politicians and political parties in the city have turned cautious as enforcement agencies, both law and revenue and intelligence agencies have tuned the frequencies of their antennas to pick up information on the movement of tainted funds and counterfeit Indian currency on the eve of the polling. The Election Commission over the years has been working in the direction to establish a fool-proof monitoring system on poll expenditure which will cap to a large extent the power of money bags politics in the country.

 

Poll campaigning is seen as a party time for not only political workers but also the voters who fall under the lower strata of the socio-economic bracket. Black money and household items are clandestinely distributed to lure the electorate. Also, huge money is spent through back door channels for buying space in media brands to enhance the image of the candidate and political party.

 

In some cases, candidates are “bought over” for withdrawing from the fray as these candidates could spoil the chances of a prospective winning candidate from the mainstream political party.

 

EC has evolved a mechanism to check on political parties and candidates buying media space by creating district and state committees consisting of government officials (state and central government) on deputation and representatives of media organizations to identify paid election coverage and report to the state election office. The state election office in turn will include the cost of the coverage to the candidate and party to the overall expenses incurred for election campaigning.

 

Apart from maintaining a close tab on hawala operators, surveillance of baggage of passengers at airports and railway terminus and other entry points in the city, communication networks are being tapped for ferreting information on movements and transfers of funds of huge and unusual amounts.

 

Revenue enforcement and intelligence officials estimate that at least Rs 500 crore of black money is pumped into election campaigning in the city. “It is a festive time for everyone except the candidates who are on tenterhooks till the results are out. Black money is brought out from the hidden lockers of business houses and off shore havens and used for funding the election campaign. However, ever since the last 20 years, EC has tightened the screws on election spending by politicians and political parties. Therefore, politicians are cautiously pumping funds clandestinely in their campaigning, to win the gamble game of election, without getting caught red-handed by EC.   

 

A few days after the election code of conduct came into effect Income Tax department had issued an appeal to the public to inform the movement of large sums of money to the IT department. Last week, the city crime branch had busted a counterfeit Indian currency racket and arrested to Malda-based racketeers and a Mumbai-based conduit. These accused landed in the crime branch net while sleuths were working on leads that counterfeit currency will be circulated in the metropolis during election campaigning.     

 

One of the campaign managers of a candidate disclosed that candidates and their close confidante are extra-cautious when they speak over the mobile or telephone when it comes to discuss poll financing and expenditure. “We have strong apprehensions that our communication lines are tapped and hence never discuss any issue related to business and poll finance. The chances that agencies will act against the candidate since the EC has withdrawn “immunity” enjoyed by powerful politicians against civil and criminal action is, not only large but also electoral and political damaging for the candidate. Hence, candidates are extra-cautious when they speak on the phone during campaigning,” said a poll campaign manager.