New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) A day ahead of the first phase of voting for the Bihar assembly, the Election Commission on Sunday said about Rs.19 crore has been recovered as unaccounted money from 13 people.

"Income tax authorities have informed the Commission that, after searches, approximately Rs.19 crore in Delhi and Muzaffarpur, Bihar, have been recovered as unaccounted money," the commission said in a statement.

It said over Rs.5 crore were recovered in the national capital from nine people and Rs.13.75 crore from four people in Muzaffarpur. 

The Election Commission had directed the Income Tax authorities to take action following a sting operation by a TV channel last month on hawala operations related to the elections in Bihar.

Investigations were on to determine the source of the unaccounted money, the statement said.

"Keeping in view the ongoing elections, identified and suspected hawala operators are kept under surveillance by the authorities," the statement added.