ECI seizure report, an eye-opener

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released a progressive seizure report stating the total value of seizures made by the Commission during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls that concluded on May 19, 2019.

The report by the ECI opens the dark and dingy closets of democracy to the public.

The data shows the total number of cash, liquor, drugs and narcotics, gold and silver, and other items seized during the elections.

The total number of poll seizures by the Election Commission in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 was higher than the one in 2014. During the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, a sum of Rs 804.59 crore was seized, whereas, this year, a total of Rs 3,475.76 crore was seized.

In 2019, among the states, Tamil Nadu accounted for the highest number of poll seizures at Rs 952 crore. It was followed by Gujarat with Rs 552 crore.

Lakshwadeep had the lowest number of seizures where the value of recovered cash, drugs, precious metals, and other items was Rs 0.053 crore followed by Sikkim which was Rs 0.29 crore. The cash seized in the Union Territories was fairly lower than that was seized in the Hindi heartlands like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Chandigarh.

The Election Commission collected the data of a number of seizures that had taken place from March 25 to May 23.