Notes ban did not reduce black money used in elections, says OP Rawat, ex-chief election commissioner

Compared to previous elections, there were more seizures of cash in the same states, OP Rawat said.

The government’s decision to ban high-value currency notes did not reduce the use of black money in elections, former chief election commissioner OP Rawat told news agency ANI on Monday. Rawat, who demitted office last week, said it was thought that demonetisation would bring down the misuse of money in elections.

Former Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat (PTI File Photo)

But the election commission’s data on the seizure of money hasn’t supported this contention. “Compared to previous elections, there were more seizures of cash in the same states,” Rawat said.

“It seems political class and their financiers have no dearth of money. Money used in this manner, is generally black money. As far as black money used in election is concerned, there was no check on it,” the former chief of the poll panel told ANI.

Days before his term ended on 1 December, Rawat counted curbing influence of money on elections as one of the key thrust areas for the commission. In an interview to Hindustan Times, he had underlined that every penny going to political parties as donations should be accounted for.