The 288-member Maharashtra Assembly goes to polling booths on October 21

The Income Tax department on Thursday said it has seized around Rs 15.5 crore in unaccounted cash from Mumbai since the announcement of Maharashtra Assembly elections last month.

The tax department did not offer any details about the place from where the money has been seized or the source or the intended beneficiaries of the money from a political parties perspective.

The 288-member Maharashtra Assembly goes to polling booths on October 21 and the results will be announced two days later.

The department had earlier this month informed that it has formed special teams by deploying over 600 personnel exclusively to keep a tab on unaccounted money and ensuring that voters do not get swayed.

Strength of its quick response teams, formed for this period, has been further increased with additional manpower to ensure that the forthcoming election is free from influence of cash and/or valuables, an official statement said.

The department has also been campaigning widely on various media platforms to create awareness about its drive and push voters to call when they see such instances.