Jan 29, 2017: In view of ensuing Assembly polls in five States, the Election Commission today again asked the RBI to comply with its directive to enhance the cash withdrawal limit for candidates in poll bound UP, Uttrakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.
Earlier on Wednesday the Commission had told RBI that the Commission has been apprised of the problems being faced by the candidates due to withdrawal caps imposed after the note ban. However, RBI rejected the Commission’s request to enhance the weekly cash-withdrawal limit to Rs. 2 lakh from Rs. 24,000 per week and the Central Bank had said, it is not possible for it to hike the limit at this stage.
News agencies report, the Commission expressed serious concern in a latter to RBI Governor Urjit Patel, about the hasty manner in dealing with the issue. Urging to reconsider EC’s proposal of hikinh the withdrawal limit, it said, the RBI has not realized the gravity of the situation restating that it is the constitutional mandate of the EC to conduct free and fair elections and to provide level-playing field to all candidates. The EC had said the facility should be extended till 11th of March, the day of counting.
