NEW DELHI: During the last four weeks, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has made a record seizure of cash, liquor, precious metal and drugs worth Rs 147 crore from the three-poll bound states--Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. According to the election body, the seizure made till 15 February is 20 times higher as compared to goods and cash confiscated in the 2018 assembly elections.
"The Election Commission of India’s thrust on “inducement-free” elections has led to sustained efforts for election expenditure monitoring in poll-going states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. Due to the coordinated efforts of enforcement agencies, extensive monitoring, marking of expenditure-sensitive constituencies and adequate deployment of field teams, the results are encouraging with these three states witnessing seizures of Rs147.84 crores after the announcement of elections which surpasses the seizures made in the entire duration of enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in Assembly Elections, 2018," said the Commission.
In 2018, the total seizure was just Rs 7.24 crores.
Besides Rs 14 crore in cash, the agency has compounded over three lakh litre of liquor, drugs worth Rs 85.76 crore, precious metals of Rs 4.32 crore and freebies having a value of Rs 34.39 crore.
As part of one of the biggest operations, the seizure of 3.52 kg of heroin was made by the police in Dhalai district. The value of the seized drug was Rs 10.58 crore.
Seizures of Heroin were also reported from East Khasi Hills District in Meghalaya (2.447 Kg) and from Chumoukedima District in Nagaland (2.27 kg), done by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), said the ECI.
"In Tripura, where voting is currently underway today, seeing the sensitivity of drugs and illegal Ganja cultivation, a special team consisting of District Police, Forest officials, BSF, Anti-Narcotics and other agencies was formed in Sepahijhala and West Tripura district after the announcement of elections under supervision of Special Expenditure Observer. In Sepahijhala, total destruction of Ganja plantation and seizure of dry ganja amounts to Rs 9 27 crores and in West Tripura district, the figures of ganja destruction is Rs 3.75 crores," informed the Commission.
Voting in Nagaland and Meghalaya will take place on February 27. The counting of votes in three states will be held on March 2. The elections in three states last month.
In North Tripura also, a seizure of Ganja of 529 kg amounting to Rs 1.10 crores was made.
Psychotropic substances constitute 58 percent of total seizures reported from these states. Since these states share both national and international boundaries, apart from drugs, liquor inflow with the purpose of wooing voters, has been another major concern for the Election Commission.
The Commission had directed operationalising excise nakas (check posts) at strategic locations and border check posts to curb the inflow of liquor.
"Increased vigil over Commission’s direction to keep strict watch over online bribery and cash distribution has led to cash seizure of Rs 14.05 crores... one incident of seizure of a massive number of Foreign Origin Cigarettes (17.09 lakh sticks) worth Rs 3.67 crores was reported in Meghalaya. The concerned agencies were also directed to check choppers and passengers arriving at helipads and makeshift airports in addition to regular checking at operational airports," ECI said.
The commission has also deployed 19 Expenditure Observers in Tripura, 21 in Meghalaya and 24 in Nagaland as also two special expenditure observers.