A statement from the Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte that about Rs 9.37 crore had been recovered in one month in the state by enforcement agencies and that the indication that the money had been amassed for election purpose, gave a shot in the arms of the opposition CPM.
In a letter to the CEO the fomer minister and CPM secretary Jitendra Chouhdury demanded details of the money found by the enforcement agencies.
The statement had said that in between November 24 and December 23, various law enforcement agencies seized Rs 9,36,50,449 in the state while the total seizure amount during 2018 Assembly election was Rs 2,57,19,000.
As soon the report hit the headlines CPM state secretary Jitendra Choudhury in a letter to the CEO said, “ I appreciate the renewed venture of the Enforcement Agencies who, according to your press release, by this time seized a huge amount Rs. 9,36,50,449.00 from different individuals/business organisations of the state. You also admirably mentioned that ‘money power’ and ‘muscle power’ are two factors that stand as ‘menace’ against ensuring level playing exercise in any election”.
“But, the press release issued by you deserves some clarification on the following points: a) Nowhere in the communiqué you did clarify whether the money seized is black money or unaccounted money. b) In what mechanism such huge amount of money was amassed. c) Neither did you let the people know, from whom or which establishment these funds were seized”.
Choudhury pointed out that as the CEO mentioned that this ‘fund was amassed with an intension to misuse in distorting the normal election process for furthering electoral gains of any stakeholder, it is the right of the state electorates to know who are the elements intending to influence the people’s opinion by illegal use of money power’.
“Thus, for the sake of preserving the creditability of the election authority as well as sensitizing the electorates about the illegal transaction of the money for dubious purpose, I request you to publish the names/business establishments from where this fund was seized”, said Choudhury in his letter.
The CEO statement said, “while curbing the menace of money and muscle power, the EC also ensures that the general public do not face any inconvenience. In fact, all out efforts are made to ensure that the common man on the ground is sensitised to become a stakeholder in aiding and assisting the EC mechanism in combating the menace of bribery of voters and other corrupt practices, polluting the electoral system,”
