New Delhi: The Election Commission of India said election seizures crossed ₹650 crore during the ongoing Assembly elections and bye-elections, reflecting intensified enforcement under the Model Code of Conduct.
The Commission announced poll schedules on March 15 for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. It also directed states and Union Territories to strictly enforce MCC guidelines. Moreover, officials held review meetings with top administrators and enforcement agencies.
To ensure compliance, authorities deployed over 5,173 flying squads across poll-bound regions. These teams responded to complaints within 100 minutes. In addition, officials set up more than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams to conduct surprise checks.
Data from the Electronic Seizure Management System showed that election seizures reached ₹651.51 crore by April 5. This included ₹53.2 crore in cash and ₹79.3 crore in liquor value. Authorities also seized drugs worth ₹230 crore and freebies valued at ₹231.01 crore.
Election seizures data highlights state-wise enforcement action
West Bengal recorded the highest seizures at ₹319 crore. Tamil Nadu followed with ₹170 crore, while Assam reported ₹97 crore. Kerala and Puducherry accounted for ₹58 crore and ₹7 crore respectively.
Officials said enforcement teams also seized large quantities of liquor, totalling over 29.63 lakh litres. They added that such measures aimed to prevent inducements and ensure free and fair elections.
At the same time, the Commission directed authorities to avoid harassing citizens during checks. It asked enforcement teams to act responsibly while maintaining vigilance. Therefore, district grievance committees were set up to address complaints.
Meanwhile, the ECI encouraged citizens and political parties to report violations through the C-Vigil platform. It said timely reporting would help authorities act quickly and maintain transparency during the election process.
