Karnataka Elections 2023: Days ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, the Income Tax officers on Wednesday seized Rs 1 crore hidden between the branches of a tree in Mysuru.
According to sources, the money was seized from a tree located inside the residential compound of K. Subramanya Rai, the brother of Ashok Kumar Rai, who is contesting from the Puttur Assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada district on a Congress ticket.
The money found was in the denomination of Rs 500 currency notes, which were hidden in boxes used to keep fruits and kept between the branches of the tree, according to sources. The authorities are investigating the money trail to ascertain whether it leads to the Congress candidate, and why the money was hidden in Mysuru, sources added.
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Enforcement agencies seized nearly Rs 150 crore till mid-April
Till mid-April, Enforcement agencies had made seizures totalling nearly Rs 150 crore in poll-bound Karnataka since the model code of conduct (MCC) came into force on March 29, the Election Commission said.
The total seizures valued at Rs 149.58 crore include cash to the tune of Rs 61 crore, liquor worth Rs 33 crore, precious metals Rs 24 crore, freebies (Rs 18 crore) and drugs/narcotics (Rs 13 crore), the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, said. As many as 1,262 FIRs have been booked with regard to the seizures.
Election Commission issues advisory for political parties
On Tuesday evening (May 2), the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued an advisory to political parties and their star campaigners. In a statement, the poll body asked them to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances during campaigning in Karnataka and not to vitiate the election atmosphere.
Taking serious note of the "plummeting level of campaign discourse" during electioneering, the poll panel referred to the instances of "inappropriate vocabulary and language" used during the ongoing campaign by persons, "in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner".
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023
It should be mentioned here that the state will witness a single phase of voting on May 10, whereas, results will be declared on May 13. Notably, the term of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be ending on May 24. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that more than 9.17 lakh first-time voters will be participating in the upcoming elections in Karnataka.
(With inputs from agencies)
