India's Opposition Congress Party Faces Account Freeze Ahead of Elections

The Income Tax Department's freezing of the Congress party's bank accounts raises concerns of political targeting, amidst legal appeals and broader debates on election fairness.

India's main opposition Congress party reports its bank accounts have been frozen by the Income Tax Department ahead of the general elections, sparking allegations of political targeting.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has granted the Congress party temporary access to its accounts until a hearing on February 21, following a legal appeal.
The freezing of accounts is linked to a tax demand of Rs 210 crore ($25.3 million) for the late filing of income tax returns for the 2018-19 financial year.
Critics accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of using state machinery to suppress opposition voices, a claim the government denies.
The Supreme Court's recent ruling declaring the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional adds to the controversy surrounding election funding and political fairness.