2. On 8 November 2016, the Government of India announced
the demonetisation of all ₹500 (US$7.40) and ₹1,000 (US$15) banknotes
of the Mahatma Gandhi Series.[2] The government claimed that the action
would curtail the shadow economy and crack down on the use of illicit and
counterfeit cash to fund illegal activity and terrorism.[3][4] The sudden
nature of the announcement—and the prolonged cash shortages in the
weeks that followed—created significant disruption throughout the
economy, threatening economic output.[5][6] The move was heavily
criticized as poorly planned and unfair, and was met with protests,
litigation, and strikes.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation in
an unscheduled live televised address at 20:00 Indian Standard
Time (IST) on 8 November.[7][8] In the announcement, Modi declared that
use of all ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series would
be invalid past midnight, and announced the issuance of new ₹500
and ₹2000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi New Series in exchange for
the old banknotes.
The BSE SENSEX and NIFTY 50 stock indices fell over 6 percent on the
very next day.[citation needed] In the days following the demonetisation, the
country faced severe cash shortages with severe detrimental effects across
the economy.[9][10]
3. The Demonetization has badly hit Maoist and Naxalites as well.
The surrender rate has reached its highest since the
demonetization is announced. It is said that the money these
organizations have collected over the years have left with no
value and it has caused them to reach to this decision.[156]
The move also reportedly crippled Communist guerrilla groups
(Naxalites) financing through money laundering.[157][158] On 10
November the police arrested a petrol pump owner at Ranchi
when he reportedly tried to deposit ₹2.5 billion, belonging to a
person affiliated with the banned Communist Party of India
(Maoist).[159] According to Chhattisgarh Police demonetisation
has affected the Naxalite activities. It is reported that insurgents
have stashed more than ₹70 billion in the Bastar
region.[158][160][161]
While Manohar Parrikar claimed that the move has also helped
in reducing the incidents of stone-pelting in the Kashmir
valley,[162][163][164] his claim has been disputed
4. NEGATIVE EFFECT
Cash shortage
Queue at an ATM for ₹100 banknotes in Howrah, on
8 November 2016, 22:23 (IST)
The scarcity of cash due to demonetisation led to
chaos, and most people holding old banknotes faced
difficulties exchanging them due to endless lines
outside banks and ATMs across India, which became
a daily routine for millions of people waiting to
deposit or exchange the ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes
since 9 November
5. The scarcity of cash due to led to chaos, and most people holding old
banknotes faced difficulties exchanging them due to endless lines outside
banks and ATMs across India, which became a daily routine for millions of
people waiting to deposit or exchange the ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes since 9
November ATMs were running out of cash after a few hours of being
functional, and around half the ATMs in the country were non-
functional.[175]Sporadic violence was reported in New Delhi, but there were
no reports of any grievous injury,[] people attacked bank premises and
ATMs, and a ration shop was looted in Madhya Pradesh after the shop
owner refused to accept ₹500 banknotes
The CMD of Punjab National Bank said that panic after demonetisation
started fading on 19 November 2016 As of 18 December 2016, there were
still long queues at banks and ATMs.
6. Deaths
Several people were reported to have died from standing
in queues for hours to exchange their old
banknotes Deaths were also attributed to lack of medical
help due to refusal of old banknotes by hospitalsAs of 15
November 2016, the attributed death toll was 25.] and 33
deaths as of 18 November. In an interview, Chief
Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at a BBC
reporter who asked him to justify his 19 November claim
that 55 deaths were linked to demonetisation.[203] By the
end of the year, opposition leaders claimed that over 100
people had died due to demonetisation.[204][205][206]
7. Stock market crash
As a combined effect of demonetisation and US
presidential election, the stock market indices
dropped to an around six-month low in the week
following the announcement. The day after the
demonetisation announcement, BSE
SENSEX crashed nearly 1,689 points and NIFTY
50 plunged by over 541 points.[207] By the end of the
intraday trading section on 15 November 2016,
the BSE SENSEX index was lower by 565 points and
the NIFTY 50 index was below 8100 intrad