Assembly elections, bypolls: Inducements worth over Rs588 cr seized by poll panel

NEW DELHI: Poll inducements worth over Rs 588 crore have been seized by agencies under the supervision of the Election Commission, since the announcement of assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, and bypolls in 14 states. While the cumulative seizure of inducements like cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies in Maharashtra have already touched Rs 280 crore, as compared to Rs 103.6 crore in the 2019 assembly polls, the value of seizures in Jharkhand is up at Rs 158 crore from Rs 18.8 crore in 2019.

While the individual rise in seizures in Maharashtra stands at 170%, that for Jharkhand is a whopping 742%. Combined, the seizures in the two states so far are 3.5 times in value as compared to that in the last assembly elections. Among the Rs 588 crore seizures, freebies worth Rs 241 crore make up 40% of the value. The second highest seized item is precious metals (Rs 104.2 crore), followed by cash at Rs 92.5 crore, drugs at Rs 68.2 crore and liquor at Rs 52.8 crore.

Precious metals, with a value of Rs 90.5 crore, account for the highest seizures in Maharashtra, followed by Rs 73.1 crore confiscated in cash, Rs 38 crore each in drugs and liquor, and Rs 42.5 crore in freebies.

In Jharkhand, freebies accounted for the highest seizure at Rs 128 crore, followed by cash at Rs 10.5 crore, drugs at Rs 9 crore, liquor at Rs 7.1 crore, and precious metals at Rs 4.2 crore.

Agencies, acting at the behest of EC, which has called for tight control on the use of money-power in polls, have also made Rs 118 crore worth of seizures in two parliamentary constituencies and 48 assembly constituencies where bypolls are underway. These include Rs 70.6 crore worth of freebies, Rs 21.5 crore worth of drugs, Rs 9.4 crore worth of precious metals, Rs 8.9 crore in cash and Rs 7.6 crore worth of liquor.

During review meetings earlier with various law enforcement agencies and authorities in the poll-bound states, EC had directed officials to adhere to its 'zero-tolerance' approach towards any kind of inducements in elections. It had also asked agencies to form joint teams to clamp down on distribution and movement of illicit liquor, drugs, freebies, and cash while campaigning is underway.