Decode Politics: A midnight hotel raid in a critical Kerala bypoll, and what happens day after

A look astatine the row, and the Election Commission (EC) rules regarding this:

What was the incidental and what person the constabulary said?

On Wednesday, the Kerala Police conducted searches successful Palakkad, including successful edifice rooms wherever salient Congress leaders similar Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman were staying.

“We acted connected concealed accusation that amerciable wealth was kept successful a edifice successful Palakkad. Our teams searched 12 rooms, wherever leaders of each 3 parties (Congress, CPI-M and BJP) were staying. We had besides informed the flying squad, deputed to prehend amerciable wealth during elections. We followed each the procedures. In 1 room, wherever the women were staying, the occupants sought the beingness of a pistillate constabulary serviceman for hunt and we ensured that too. The hunt did not output anything. The accusation did not notation to immoderate circumstantial governmental party,” Palakkad District Superintendent of Police R Anand aboriginal said.

What has the Congress alleged?

Accusing the CPI(M) of misusing constabulary machinery and terming the constabulary enactment “scripted”, authorities Congress president K Sudhakaran has said the CPI(M) and BJP conspired for the raid and that it was meant to “save face”.

“The EC and predetermination officials person been helpless bystanders. It indispensable beryllium noted that earlier the scripted raid, CPI(M) and BJP workers had reached the hotel… The constabulary did not unafraid the hotel, giving accidental for the CPI(M) and BJP workers to make conflict,” Sudhakaran, who has approached the EC implicit the incident, said.

Why is the CPI(M) demanding a probe?

Claiming that CCTV footage showed a Congress idiosyncratic arriving astatine the edifice with a trolley bag, CPI(M) authorities caput M V Govindan has accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) of releasing the footage of the raid to the media. “There is grounds that achromatic wealth was brought to Palakkad. Therefore, a probe successful this respect is required,” helium said.

What is the BJP’s take?

BJP authorities president K Surendran said the “arrangement” betwixt the Congress and CPI(M) “for the past respective years” ensured that the constabulary assisted Congress leaders successful moving achromatic wealth from the hotel. “It is wide that achromatic wealth was brought to the hotel. However, the constabulary acted to assistance Congress workers determination the wealth earlier the raids,” helium claimed.

What measures does EC instrumentality to cheque currency flow?

Prior to each election, the EC issues elaborate instructions to the police, railways, airports, the Income Tax department, and different enforcement agencies, to support a strict vigil connected the question of cash, liquor, jewellery, drugs and gifts — thing which could beryllium distributed during polls.

It besides appoints expenditure observers for each district, alongside static surveillance teams (SST) and flying squads. The flying squads comprise a Senior Executive Magistrate arsenic the head, a elder constabulary officer, a videographer, and 3 oregon 4 equipped constabulary personnel.

What bash EC rules say?

The EC keeps an oculus connected run expenditure by candidates, which is capped astatine Rs 95 lakh per constituency successful bigger states, and Rs 75 lakh per constituency successful smaller ones.

According to EC instructions, the CISF oregon constabulary authorities astatine airports are expected to “instantaneously study to the Income Tax Department” anyone carrying currency worthy much than Rs.10 lakh, oregon much than 1 kg successful bullion. The Income Tax Department past has to “make indispensable verification and instrumentality indispensable measures if nary satisfactory mentation is given. This means that currency oregon bullion tin beryllium seized till verification is completed successful bid to guarantee that it is not related to immoderate governmental enactment oregon candidate.

While the canvass sheet says seizure of currency much than Rs 10 lakh not recovered to beryllium linked to a transgression oregon governmental enactment is not indispensable and indispensable beryllium simply reported to the I-T, if determination is simply a conveyance successful which a candidate, polling cause oregon enactment idiosyncratic is recovered with implicit Rs 50,000 successful currency oregon drugs, liquor, arms, oregon acquisition items worthy implicit Rs 10,000, the currency oregon different items is seized.

What happens aft a seizure?

In lawsuit immoderate currency oregon different items are seized, authorities are mandated to instrumentality them if they are not related to immoderate campaigner oregon a crime.

A district-level committee is empowered to look astatine grievances, “to debar inconvenience to the nationalist and genuine persons”. The EC’s SoP mandates the committee, comprising the territory predetermination office’s nodal serviceman for expenditure monitoring, and the territory treasury officer, to suo motu analyse each lawsuit of seizure wherever nary FIR/complaint has been filed, oregon wherever the seizure is not linked with immoderate candidate, governmental enactment oregon predetermination campaign. It besides mandates the sheet to instrumentality contiguous steps to instrumentality immoderate currency seized.

Why is the Palakkad bypoll successful the limelight?

The constituency has deed the headlines arsenic the BJP has finished runner-up successful the spot successful the past 2 Assembly elections though the Congress has retained it thrice.

Since the announcement of the bypoll, the Congress is facing rebellion aft its person P Sarin discontinue implicit denial of a ticket. He subsequently entered the fray arsenic an Independent and is present backed by the CPI(M). The BJP has fielded C Krishnakumar from the seat, but is besides facing rebellion from 1 of its ain leaders.