Election Commission's Massive Seizure in Maharashtra and Jharkhand Polls

The Election Commission has intercepted cash, liquor, drugs, and precious metals worth Rs 558 crore in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and across 14 states, to curb voter inducement. This marks a significant increase from previous years with joint efforts from various agencies and strict surveillance across state borders.

The Election Commission has seized a substantial Rs 558 crore worth of cash, freebies, liquor, drugs, and precious metals amid the ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and by-polls across 14 states, as noted in an official release. Such measures aim to prevent voter inducement.

In Maharashtra, electoral authorities have confiscated approximately Rs 280 crore following the election announcement. Meanwhile, Jharkhand has seen seizures amounting to Rs 158 crore. These figures show a remarkable 3.5-fold increase compared to the 2019 Assembly Elections, where Maharashtra and Jharkhand reported seizures of Rs 103.61 crore and Rs 18.76 crore, respectively.

Detailed figures reveal that in Maharashtra, authorities seized Rs 73.11 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 37.98 crore, and drugs valued at Rs 37.76 crore. Additionally, precious metals worth Rs 90.53 crore and freebies worth Rs 42.55 crore were confiscated. Conversely, Jharkhand reported cash seizures totaling Rs 10.46 crore, liquor at Rs 7.15 crore, drugs at Rs 8.99 crore, with precious metals and freebies contributing Rs 4.22 crore and Rs 127.88 crore, respectively.

To ensure 'Zero Tolerance' for electoral inducements, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar directed officials to form joint teams from multiple agencies to counter illegal distributions. During a recent meeting with Chief Secretaries, DGPs, and enforcement agencies from the involved and neighboring states, Kumar emphasized maintaining strict vigil over inter-state borders and establishing seizure-linked deterrents.

(With inputs from agencies.)