EC cracks down hard, seizes Rs 650 crore in cash, liquor, drugs ahead of Assembly polls

The Election Commission of India on Sunday said enforcement agencies have seized over Rs 650 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other inducements since the announcement of the 2026 Assembly elections, underscoring a sweeping crackdown to ensure free and fair polls.

The poll body, which on March 15 announced election schedules for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with bypolls in six other states, said strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) remains a top priority. It added that multiple review meetings have been held with Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police and central enforcement agencies to ensure elections are “violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free.”

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According to official data, total seizures between February 26—when the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS) was activated—and April 5 stood at Rs 651.51 crore. This includes Rs 53.2 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 79.3 crore, drugs valued at Rs 230 crore, precious metals worth Rs 58 crore, and freebies and other items exceeding Rs 231 crore.

Among the poll-bound regions, West Bengal recorded the highest seizures at Rs 319 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu at Rs 170 crore. Assam reported Rs 97 crore, Kerala Rs 58 crore, and Puducherry Rs 7 crore.

Highlighting the scale of surveillance, the Commission said over 5,173 flying squads have been deployed to respond swiftly to complaints, with a targeted response time of 100 minutes. More than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams have also been stationed at key locations to carry out surprise checks and establish checkpoints.

“The Commission has directed all enforcement authorities to act firmly against any inducements while ensuring that ordinary citizens are not inconvenienced or harassed during inspections,” it said, adding that District Grievance Committees have been set up to address public concerns.

The Commission also urged citizens and political parties to report violations of the MCC through the C-Vigil module on its ECINET platform, reinforcing efforts to boost transparency and public participation.

The scale of the seizures highlights heightened vigilance by authorities to curb the influence of money power and illicit inducements—an issue that has long shadowed high-stakes elections in several states.