New Delhi, 17 April (H.S.):

The Election Commission of India has confiscated goods and cash valued at ₹865 crore ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, underscoring the scale of efforts to curb illicit inducements and maintain a level‑playing field.

The haul includes cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other items deemed potential voter bribes, seized between February 26—the date the Election‑Seizure Management System (ESMS) went live—and April 17.

According to the Commission’s data, during this period a total of ₹99 crore in cash, about 3.2 million litres of liquor worth ₹84 crore, narcotics valued at ₹174 crore, precious metals valued at ₹159 crore, and other goods worth ₹350 crore were seized in the two states put together. The assets were snapped up by specialised enforcement units operating under the EC’s strict monitoring regime.

In West Bengal, authorities have recovered ₹21 crore in cash, 31 lakh litres of liquor valued at ₹81 crore, drugs worth ₹100 crore, precious metals valued at ₹54 crore, and other goods worth ₹172 crore, aggregating to ₹427 crore in seizures.

In Tamil Nadu, the total tops out at ₹438 crore, comprising ₹78 crore in cash, around 97,000 litres of liquor (₹3 crore), drug hauls worth ₹74 crore, precious metals worth ₹105 crore, and other items valued at ₹178 crore.

To enforce the Model Code of Conduct and prevent vote‑buying and intimidation, the Election Commission has deployed 5,011 flying‑squad teams—2,728 in West Bengal and 2,283 in Tamil Nadu—and an additional 5,363 inspection or static surveillance teams across the two states.

These units are tasked with real‑time monitoring, rapid response to complaints, and coordinated crackdowns on illegal transportation of cash, liquor, arms, and other inducements.

The Commission said that the ESMS, made operational on February 26, has enabled seamless reporting and digitised tracking of all seizures, thereby improving accountability and transparency during the election cycle. By sharply ramping up surveillance and tightening the noose on illegal cash and contraband, the EC aims to keep polling largely free from violence, fear, and the lure of material inducements.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar