New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- The Supreme Court on Monday cracked down on the use of black money and other inducements in elections, directing the completion of probes into electoral offences within a year, asking high courts to designate special courts for their speedy disposal, and making their approval mandatory before a prosecution against candidates is withdrawn during a particular election cycle.

A bench of justices Sanjay Karol and N Kotiswar Singh also directed authorities seizing cash or other assets suspected to be linked to an electoral offence to report the seizure to the jurisdictional district magistrate, additional district magistrate or competent court within 24 hours, along with written reasons showing a prima facie nexus with t...