The Election Commission of India on Wednesday said seizures in poll-bound Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have exceeded Rs 1,000 crore since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, highlighting a stepped-up drive against inducements ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections and bye-elections.
According to an official statement, the total value of seizures in the two states reached Rs 1,072.13 crore between February 26, when the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) was activated, and April 22. Of this, Tamil Nadu accounted for Rs 599.24 crore, while West Bengal recorded Rs 472.89 crore.
Providing a detailed break-up, the Commission said Rs 127.67 crore in cash has been seized, along with more than 40 lakh litres of liquor valued at Rs 106.3 crore. Authorities have also confiscated drugs worth Rs 184.83 crore, precious metals valued at Rs 215.19 crore, and freebies and other inducements amounting to Rs 437.97 crore.
“The Commission has directed all enforcement agencies to maintain strict vigilance to ensure elections remain free from inducements and undue influence,” the poll body said, reiterating its commitment to conducting “violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free elections.”
The ECI had announced the election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on March 15, bringing the Model Code of Conduct into immediate effect. Since then, it has held a series of review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police and senior officials from poll-bound and neighbouring states to streamline enforcement and surveillance efforts. To intensify monitoring on the ground, over 5,000 Flying Squad Teams and more than 5,300 Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed across Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The Commission said West Bengal has 2,728 Flying Squads and 3,142 Static teams in operation, while Tamil Nadu has deployed 2,283 Flying Squads and 2,221 Static teams. These units are responsible for responding promptly to complaints and setting up surprise checkpoints to curb the movement of illicit cash, liquor and other inducements.
“The Flying Squads have been specifically instructed to respond to complaints within 100 minutes,” the statement said, adding that surveillance teams are carrying out random checks at key locations.
At the same time, the Commission stressed that enforcement should not inconvenience the public. “Authorities have been directed to ensure that ordinary citizens are not harassed during inspections,” it said, adding that District Grievance Committees have been constituted to address complaints related to enforcement actions.
The ECI also called on citizens and political parties to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct through the C-Vigil module on the ECINET platform, as part of efforts to ensure greater transparency and public participation in the electoral process.
The scale of seizures underscores heightened vigilance by authorities as the multi-phase elections approach, with the Commission seeking to curb the influence of money power and ensure a level playing field for all contestants.