Cash, freebies worth Rs 331 crore seized in poll-bound states, UT

The government agencies already seized much more cash, liquor, drugs and other freebies and valuables in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry this time than they had done during the 2016 Assembly elections.

Though voting for the Assembly elections are still several days away, the agencies already confiscated cash, liquor, drugs and other freebies and precious metals worth Rs 331.47 crore in the four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, over Rs 100 crore more than the total value of the seizures during the 2016 polls, the Election Commission stated on Wednesday.

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The agencies already confiscated Rs 89.48 crore in cash as well as liquor worth Rs 28.93 crore, drugs worth Rs 75.67 crore, freebies worth Rs 48.52 crore and precious metals worth Rs 88.87 crore from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry.

The EC noted that the maximum amount of cash, Rs 50.86 crore, had been seized from Tamil Nadu, followed by Rs 19.11 crore in West Bengal and Rs 11.73 crore in Assam. The maximum amount of drugs, worth Rs 47.40 crore, had been seized from West Bengal, followed by Rs 27.09 crore in Assam. The precious metals worth Rs 61.04 crore and Rs 15.23 crore had been seized from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, respectively. The freebies worth Rs 29.42 crore and Rs 14.06 crore had been confiscated from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu respectively, the poll-panel stated.

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The Commission deployed 295 Expenditure Observers to curb the use of black money in the forthcoming Assembly elections. It also appointed five Special Expenditure Observers – two for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and one each for Assam, Kerala and West Bengal.

Of the 824 Assembly constituencies going to polls in the four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the EC identified 295 as “expenditure sensitive” for “more focussed vigil” to check the use of black money to woo voters.

The polling in Assam will take place in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6. All Assembly constituencies in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will go to polls on April 6. The polling in West Bengal will take place in eight phases on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29.