Cash for votes

Populist promises in the runup to elections are becoming a normal feature in Indian politics. But political parties and candidates do not stop at promises to be fulfilled through the state exchequer because those may not be enough to win elections. Enormous amounts are spent on running campaigns and enticing voters. As the Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman Nitin Gupta noted on Wednesday, more cash has been seized in the states going to the polls now than in the previous elections. Reportedly, for instance, the seizure of unexplained cash in Rajasthan this year has been above ~1,000 crore. Given the systemic constraints and the regular workload of the tax department, it is reasonable to argue that this could just