NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday said seizures in poll bound Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have crossed ₹1,000 crore since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), indicating an intensified crackdown on inducements ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections and bye elections.
Officials said the total value of seizures in the two states stood at ₹1,072.13 crore between February 26, when the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) was activated, and April 22. Of the total amount, Tamil Nadu accounted for ₹599.24 crore, while West Bengal recorded seizures worth ₹472.89 crore.
Providing a category wise break up, the ECI said ₹127.67 crore in cash has been seized across both states. Authorities have also confiscated over 40 lakh litres of liquor valued at ₹106.3 crore.
In addition, drugs worth ₹184.83 crore, precious metals valued at ₹215.19 crore, and freebies and other inducements amounting to ₹437.97 crore have been recovered during the period.
“The Commission has directed all enforcement agencies to ensure strict vigilance so that elections remain free from inducements and undue influence,” a senior poll panel official said, reiterating the ECI’s commitment to conducting “violence free, intimidation free and inducement free elections.”
The ECI had announced the election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on March 15, bringing the Model Code of Conduct into immediate effect. In the run up to polling, the Commission has conducted multiple review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police and senior enforcement officials from poll-bound states and neighbouring regions to coordinate surveillance and enforcement strategies.
To strengthen monitoring on the ground, more than 5,000 Flying Squad Teams (FSTs) and over 5,300 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) have been deployed across the two states.
West Bengal has 2,728 FSTs and 3,142 SSTs in operation, while Tamil Nadu has deployed 2,283 FSTs and 2,221 SSTs.
These teams are tasked with responding swiftly to complaints and conducting surprise checks to curb the movement of illicit cash, liquor and other inducements.
“Flying Squads have been specifically instructed to attend to complaints within 100 minutes,” the Commission said, adding that surveillance teams are carrying out random checks at strategic locations.
At the same time, the ECI stressed that enforcement efforts should not inconvenience the public.
Authorities have been directed to avoid harassment during inspections, with District Grievance Committees set up to address complaints related to enforcement actions.
The Commission also urged citizens and political parties to report violations through the C Vigil module on the ECINET platform, as part of efforts to ensure participatory and transparent election monitoring.
The large scale seizures underscore heightened vigilance as the multi-phase electoral process unfolds.