Election-time seizures to cross Rs. 9,000 crore: Election Commission of India

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Election Commission's determined and concerted assault on money power and inducements in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has resulted in staggering seizures worth Rs 8,889 crore by different agencies. In Assam, the seizure of cash and other items amounts to Rs 234 crore: Rs 6.6 crore cash, liquor worth Rs 26.8 crore, drugs worth Rs 99.3 crore, precious metals worth Rs 19.8 crore, and other items worth Rs 101 crore.

Enhanced vigilance against inducements, including drugs and psychotropic substances, has resulted in big seizure actions and a continuous surge. Regular follow-ups and reviews of districts and agencies in areas of expenditure monitoring, precise data interpretation, and active participation of enforcement agencies have led to this significant spurt in seizures since March 1. The seizure of drugs, liquor, precious metals, freebies, cash, etc. influences elections in varying degrees, some flowing directly as inducement while others through reduced levels of money circulation. This, thereby, adversely impacts the linkages between the proceeds of illegal activities and political campaigns.

The Commission has laid special emphasis on seizures of narcotics and psychotropic substances. An analysis of the data found that states and UTs that used to be transit zones are increasingly becoming consumption territories. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, addressing the nodal agencies during one of the review visits, said, "Precise intelligence-based collaborative efforts by agencies against drugs and narcotics are the need of the hour to root out the role of dirty money in the drug trade in elections and, more importantly and holistically, to save the future of youth and thereby the country.".

The contribution of drug seizures is Rs. 3958 crore, which is 45% of total seizures.

The Commission, led by CEC Rajiv Kumar, along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, held meetings with the DG, Narcotics Control Bureau, to take up analytics-based proactive action for ensuring action by dedicated Nodal Officers of NCB. Similarly, active involvement of the DRI, Indian Coast Guard, state police, and other agencies was ensured during the ongoing elections. All these measures have led to significant seizures in the two months since the announcement of the polls.

With the increasing intensity of campaigning in the last three phases, the Commission is keeping close tabs on attempts at influencing voters through inducements and has directed the CEOs and enforcement agencies to step up the vigil. The crusade against drugs and other inducements by the Commission will continue.

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