This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/this-is-how-dirty-indias-elections-are-police-seize-cash-in-hearses-on-trains-in-lunchboxes/2014/05/01/68899439-2197-4b77-9215-7bf529d48f42_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| In election season, India competes with campaigns’ ‘black money’ | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| LUDHIANA, India — On a recent scorching afternoon, police officer Harmeet Singh was stopping every vehicle at a traffic crossing in this northern city. It was election season in India, and he was hunting for dirty cash. | LUDHIANA, India — On a recent scorching afternoon, police officer Harmeet Singh was stopping every vehicle at a traffic crossing in this northern city. It was election season in India, and he was hunting for dirty cash. |
| In the previous two months, authorities had seized $45 million in suspected illegal campaign funds. They had discovered suspicious bundles of rupees in hearses and ambulances, in lunch boxes and in bags stashed on buses. | In the previous two months, authorities had seized $45 million in suspected illegal campaign funds. They had discovered suspicious bundles of rupees in hearses and ambulances, in lunch boxes and in bags stashed on buses. |
| So when a flashy red SUV pulled up, carrying four nervous young men, Singh was ready. He looked around the dashboard, in the trunk and then under the back seat. There he spotted two duffle bags, filled with cash worth over $33,000. The men claimed they were simply taking personal funds to the bank, but Singh wasn’t buying it. | So when a flashy red SUV pulled up, carrying four nervous young men, Singh was ready. He looked around the dashboard, in the trunk and then under the back seat. There he spotted two duffle bags, filled with cash worth over $33,000. The men claimed they were simply taking personal funds to the bank, but Singh wasn’t buying it. |
| “The car even had a sticker of a political party on its windshield,” he later recounted. | “The car even had a sticker of a political party on its windshield,” he later recounted. |
| For decades, India’s political candidates have plied voters with alcohol, cash and gifts. But in this year’s hotly contested national election — expected to be the most expensive in the country’s history — the government is fighting back, with an unprecedented effort to detect campaign-finance violations. | For decades, India’s political candidates have plied voters with alcohol, cash and gifts. But in this year’s hotly contested national election — expected to be the most expensive in the country’s history — the government is fighting back, with an unprecedented effort to detect campaign-finance violations. |
| Crack teams of investigators seeking “black money” are making busts on highways, in hotels, at airports and in farmhouses.The country’s election commission says the teams have seized 31 percent more dirty cash this year than what police grabbed during the last election five years ago, when there was not such a coordinated effort. | Crack teams of investigators seeking “black money” are making busts on highways, in hotels, at airports and in farmhouses.The country’s election commission says the teams have seized 31 percent more dirty cash this year than what police grabbed during the last election five years ago, when there was not such a coordinated effort. |
| In addition to impounding the piles of cash, the teams are trying to monitor what candidates actually spend compared with what they report. The investigative teams have fanned out across India, counting the chairs, tea cups, loudspeakers and floral garlands at every campaign meeting and rally. | In addition to impounding the piles of cash, the teams are trying to monitor what candidates actually spend compared with what they report. The investigative teams have fanned out across India, counting the chairs, tea cups, loudspeakers and floral garlands at every campaign meeting and rally. |
| “We want to curb the influence of money power in elections. It taints our democracy, and the use of illegal black money gives unfair advantage to some candidates over their opponents,” said P. K. Dash, the head of the national Election Commission's expenditure monitoring office in New Delhi. It oversees the investigative teams, composed of election officials, police officers, liquor inspectors and tax officials. | “We want to curb the influence of money power in elections. It taints our democracy, and the use of illegal black money gives unfair advantage to some candidates over their opponents,” said P. K. Dash, the head of the national Election Commission's expenditure monitoring office in New Delhi. It oversees the investigative teams, composed of election officials, police officers, liquor inspectors and tax officials. |
| Enforcing election rules | Enforcing election rules |
| Under Indian election law, each parliamentary candidate is allowed to spend no more than $116,000 on his or her campaign. But in just one bust, police recently seized $1.3 million in two bags carried by a young man on an overnight bus from Bangalore to Hyderabad. The youth told police that he was transporting the cash for a jeweler. But the jeweler has disappeared, said C.V. Anand, a senior police official in Hyderabad. | Under Indian election law, each parliamentary candidate is allowed to spend no more than $116,000 on his or her campaign. But in just one bust, police recently seized $1.3 million in two bags carried by a young man on an overnight bus from Bangalore to Hyderabad. The youth told police that he was transporting the cash for a jeweler. But the jeweler has disappeared, said C.V. Anand, a senior police official in Hyderabad. |
| In India, it is illegal to carry large amounts of cash during campaigns unless a person has documents that indicate a legitimate destination for the money — for example, a business payroll. | In India, it is illegal to carry large amounts of cash during campaigns unless a person has documents that indicate a legitimate destination for the money — for example, a business payroll. |
| Indian candidates routinely under-report their permitted expenses for things such as advertising and travel. In addition, many politicians blatantly violate the law by offering voters not just cash but also televisions, food processors and saris, in order to influence their vote. | Indian candidates routinely under-report their permitted expenses for things such as advertising and travel. In addition, many politicians blatantly violate the law by offering voters not just cash but also televisions, food processors and saris, in order to influence their vote. |
| They have been able to get away with such practices because election laws are weak and there has been lax monitoring in the past, officials say. While the election commission can disqualify candidates for campaign-finance violations, few politicians have been punished. | They have been able to get away with such practices because election laws are weak and there has been lax monitoring in the past, officials say. While the election commission can disqualify candidates for campaign-finance violations, few politicians have been punished. |
| The crack teams, which were established in 2010 for state-level elections and this year for national elections, say they are having success. | The crack teams, which were established in 2010 for state-level elections and this year for national elections, say they are having success. |
| “We have created fear in their minds of candidates,” said Dash. | “We have created fear in their minds of candidates,” said Dash. |
| But some candidates have simply become more surreptitious. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, for example, political party members recently handed out pens to voters containing hidden, rolled-up 1,000-rupee notes worth about $17. In the same state, campaign workers got around the problem of carrying large amounts of cash by distributing train tickets to voters, then telling them to exchange them for refunds. | But some candidates have simply become more surreptitious. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, for example, political party members recently handed out pens to voters containing hidden, rolled-up 1,000-rupee notes worth about $17. In the same state, campaign workers got around the problem of carrying large amounts of cash by distributing train tickets to voters, then telling them to exchange them for refunds. |
| Obstacles to change | Obstacles to change |
| The drive against illegal campaign spending comes as middle-class Indians are increasingly demanding greater transparency in politics. Ironically, corruption is one of the biggest issues in the election, which occurs over a six-week period. | The drive against illegal campaign spending comes as middle-class Indians are increasingly demanding greater transparency in politics. Ironically, corruption is one of the biggest issues in the election, which occurs over a six-week period. |
| Opinion polls indicate that the graft-tainted Congress party, which dominates the governing coalition, may suffer significant losses to the Bharatiya Janata Party, whose prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, is campaigning on his record of clean governance. | Opinion polls indicate that the graft-tainted Congress party, which dominates the governing coalition, may suffer significant losses to the Bharatiya Janata Party, whose prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, is campaigning on his record of clean governance. |
| Many of the candidates can easily tap into their own cash to fund lavish campaigns. One-quarter of the parliamentary candidates this year are millionaires. Nearly one-fifth of those running face criminal charges, according to a nonprofit election watchdog group called the Association for Democratic Reforms. That’s not unusual in India, where suspected criminals sometimes run for office in an effort to gain immunity. Voters are pressured to elect such candidates by village chiefs, who sometimes receive payoffs. | Many of the candidates can easily tap into their own cash to fund lavish campaigns. One-quarter of the parliamentary candidates this year are millionaires. Nearly one-fifth of those running face criminal charges, according to a nonprofit election watchdog group called the Association for Democratic Reforms. That’s not unusual in India, where suspected criminals sometimes run for office in an effort to gain immunity. Voters are pressured to elect such candidates by village chiefs, who sometimes receive payoffs. |
| Despite the efforts of the investigative teams, there are enormous obstacles to controlling the flood of money in Indian campaigns. | Despite the efforts of the investigative teams, there are enormous obstacles to controlling the flood of money in Indian campaigns. |
| In rural India, cash transactions are common and the use of checks and credit cards is very rare. Dash said that his team often catches people carrying large amounts of money who claim that they are paying salaries to farm laborers or rural factory workers. | In rural India, cash transactions are common and the use of checks and credit cards is very rare. Dash said that his team often catches people carrying large amounts of money who claim that they are paying salaries to farm laborers or rural factory workers. |
| Another problem is that, while individual candidates have limits on what they can spend on campaigns, their parties do not. And the law does not require direct public disclosure of parties’ spending on races, although they have to eventually report to the election commission, said Jagdeep Chhokar, a member of the Association for Democratic Reforms. | Another problem is that, while individual candidates have limits on what they can spend on campaigns, their parties do not. And the law does not require direct public disclosure of parties’ spending on races, although they have to eventually report to the election commission, said Jagdeep Chhokar, a member of the Association for Democratic Reforms. |
| “And who will change these laws? Politicians? Is it in their interests to change them?” he asked. “In fact, they are getting more and more brazen and unapologetic about the way they win elections.” | “And who will change these laws? Politicians? Is it in their interests to change them?” he asked. “In fact, they are getting more and more brazen and unapologetic about the way they win elections.” |
| The ‘laddoo’ controversy | The ‘laddoo’ controversy |
| Many Indians have welcomed the seizures of dirty cash. | Many Indians have welcomed the seizures of dirty cash. |
| “This kind of clamp-down on black money is good,” said Rohit Kumar, who operates a construction crane in Ludhiana. “But it does make me wonder. Is this just the tip of the iceberg?” | “This kind of clamp-down on black money is good,” said Rohit Kumar, who operates a construction crane in Ludhiana. “But it does make me wonder. Is this just the tip of the iceberg?” |
| Some politicians, though, say the election-expense teams are too zealous. Recently, for example, there was a controversy over election “laddoos.” | Some politicians, though, say the election-expense teams are too zealous. Recently, for example, there was a controversy over election “laddoos.” |
| Laddoos are a yellow, ping-pong-ball-sized Indian sweet made with flour and sugar. An election tradition in Punjab entails supporters weighing the candidates on a giant scale against heaps of laddoos. The treats are later given to villagers. | Laddoos are a yellow, ping-pong-ball-sized Indian sweet made with flour and sugar. An election tradition in Punjab entails supporters weighing the candidates on a giant scale against heaps of laddoos. The treats are later given to villagers. |
| But this time, the election-expense snoopers counted every laddoo and noted their cost. | But this time, the election-expense snoopers counted every laddoo and noted their cost. |
| Members of a local political party, Shiromani Akali Dal, said the same pile of laddoos was carried from one village to the next. | Members of a local political party, Shiromani Akali Dal, said the same pile of laddoos was carried from one village to the next. |
| But officials said the investigative teams had video showing the laddoos being eaten up right after the weigh-in at every village. | But officials said the investigative teams had video showing the laddoos being eaten up right after the weigh-in at every village. |
| “The election commission is going a bit too far with all this; it is seriously unfair,” said Parambans Romana, who heads the disciplinary committee of the youth wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal. | “The election commission is going a bit too far with all this; it is seriously unfair,” said Parambans Romana, who heads the disciplinary committee of the youth wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal. |
| But the candidates took notice. The practice of weighing the candidates abruptly stopped, officials said. | But the candidates took notice. The practice of weighing the candidates abruptly stopped, officials said. |