The Election Commission said it has seized cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other freebies worth £465 mn since March 1, the highest-ever amount in the history of Lok Sabha polls.
Such seizures are made by the Election Commission in the run-up to elections with the help of enforcement agencies to monitor inducements, curb electoral malpractices and ensure a level playing field for parties.
The poll body said it had made seizures worth £10 mn each day between March 1 and April 13, with the highest amounts seized from Rajasthan and Gujarat.
From Rajasthan, the poll body made seizures worth £77.85 mn, while from Gujarat, seizures worth £60.53 mn were made. This is followed by Tamil Nadu at £46.08 mn and Maharashtra at £43.13 mn.
The most cash was seized from Tamil Nadu at £5.35 mn, while the most liquor, worth £12.43 mn, was seized from Karnataka. The most drugs, worth £48.59 mn, were seized from Gujarat and the largest quantity of precious metals, worth £7.87 mn, was seized from Tamil Nadu. The poll body seized the most numbers of assorted freebies and other items worth £53.32 mn from Rajasthan.
“This marks a sharp increase over £347.5 mn seized during the entire Lok Sabha election in 2019,” the Election Commission said. “Significantly, 45% of the seizures are of drugs and narcotics, that are under the special focus of the Commission.”
The Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases between April 19 and June 1 and the results will be announced on June 4.
