The upcoming general and (four) state elections are the backdrop to a rather stark dichotomy. These will be the first elections funded by electoral bonds that, no matter how flawed they otherwise are, bring some manner of accountability to funding of political parties. On Monday, income tax officials raided a warehouse belonging to a DMK member said to be close to party treasurer Durai Murugan and found over Rs 11 crore in gunny bags and cartons, neatly packed in bundles and labelled ward-wise for distribution among voters. If cash can buy votes, then so be it—this has been the guiding principle for parties for decades now. As the DMK instance shows, funds collected by parties are deployed for many dishonest ends.

According to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, for the six national parties, excluding the Communist Party of India (Marxist), 53% of funding in 2017-18, or Rs 689.44 crore, was from unknown sources. If parties are channelling funds to bribe voters, the democratic exercise of polls is undermined, regardless of accountability or no accountability in funding.

In Arunachal Pradesh as well, Rs 1.8 crore was seized from a BJP candidate’s son. With money and muscle—bombs, guns and explosive material were seized from the houses of Sangh Parivar affiliates in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh—very much a part of polls, the criminalisation of Indian politics is a reality that the electorate is forced to swallow.