Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 5: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced that enforcement agencies have seized illegal cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and inducements worth over Rs 650 crore during the ongoing Assembly elections and bypolls, reflecting a sharp escalation in monitoring efforts.
According to the Commission, total seizures have reached Rs 651.51 crore since the rollout of the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS) on February 26, highlighting heightened vigilance across poll-bound regions.
The election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with bypolls in six other states, was announced on March 15. Following this, strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect, with all states and Union Territories directed to curb inducements and ensure fair elections.
To tighten ground-level enforcement, over 5,173 flying squads have been deployed to respond swiftly to complaints—typically within 100 minutes. Additionally, more than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) are conducting surprise inspections and monitoring suspicious activities at critical locations.
Among the states, West Bengal recorded the highest seizures at Rs 319 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu with Rs 170 crore and Assam at Rs 97 crore. Kerala reported seizures worth Rs 58 crore, while Puducherry accounted for Rs 7 crore.
Breaking down the figures, drugs made up Rs 230 crore of the total, closely followed by freebies and inducements at Rs 231.01 crore. Authorities also seized over 29.63 lakh litres of liquor valued at Rs 79.3 crore, along with cash worth Rs 53.2 crore and precious metals amounting to Rs 58 crore.
The Commission said it has held multiple review meetings with top officials, including Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, and Directors General of Police from poll-bound states and neighbouring regions. Enforcement agencies have been instructed to maintain strict vigilance to prevent electoral violence and intimidation.
At the same time, the ECI stressed that enforcement should not disrupt normal life. District Grievance Committees have been set up to address complaints arising from inspections and checks.
Citizens and political parties have also been urged to report violations of the MCC through the C-Vigil feature available on the ECINET platform, enabling faster response and greater public participation in ensuring clean elections.