Free flow of liquor, cash and drugs hit a record high in the 2024 polls in Himachal Pradesh.

Elections for the four LS seats Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Hamirpur and six Assembly constituencies Sujanpur, Dharamshala, Lahaul-Spiti, Kuthler, Gagret, and Barsar are to be held simultaneously on June 1.

Chief Electoral Officer Maneesh Garg said here on Wednesday that the seizures of cash, ornaments, liquor and psychotropic drugs till notification has surpassed the level of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Seizures amounting to Rs. 13.38 crore were made till date as compared to a total of Rs. 11.31 crore in the year 2019, he said, adding that more seizures are expected in the times to come.

The biggest haul of seizure was made from Shimla Parliamentary constituency amounting to Rs. 4.19 crore, followed by Hamirpur where seizures of Rs 3.98 crore were made.

In Kangra parliamentary constituency, the enforcement agencies including, Police, State Taxes and Excise department made a catch of Rs 3.36 crore and the minimum seizures were from Mandi parliamentary constituency, which was around Rs 1.83 crore.

He stated that in 2019 the police captured cash, liquor, drugs and other precious ornaments worth Rs 3.73 crore, while the State Taxes and Excise department had seized liquor and goods amounting to Rs 7.58 crore.

Whereas, in 2024 the seizures of the police amounted to Rs 4.65 crore, that of State taxes and Excise department till now stands as Rs 8.35 crore and the Mining department had issued fines worth Rs 25 lakh for illegal mining, he said.

“Till May 7, the seizures of cash, drugs, ornaments and liquor amounted to Rs. 51.55 lakh in district Bilaspur, Rs 66.80 lakh in district Chamba, Rs. 29.04 lakh in district Hamirpur, Rs. 2.74 crore in district Kangra, Rs. 7.99 lakh in district Kinnaur and Rs. 1.04 crore in Kullu district,” said Garg.

Similarly, in Lahaul Spiti district, the total seizure of illicit liquor, drugs, ornaments and cash amounted to Rs. 32 lakh, seizures of Rs. 58.22 lakh were made in district Mandi, in district Shimla seizures were worth Rs. 1.15 crore and Rs. 1.20 crore in district Sirmaur, said he.

Apart from this, seizures worth Rs. 1.95 crore in district Solan and Rs. 3.14 crore were in district Una, he added.

“The total seizures in all four Lok Sabha constituencies was worth Rs. 13.38 crore. It was due to the stringent directions of the Election Commission of India that the seizures have got huge momentum and are likely to seize more cash and liquor during the remaining period of code of conduct,” said Garg.