₹1000 Crore Seized Ahead of Elections: Sevenfold Increase Since 2019

₹1000 Crore Seized Ahead of Elections: Sevenfold On Monday, the flying squad of the revenue department seized ₹1.98 crore in cash from a hotel room in Nashik. The cash was claimed by a resident of Anand Nagar, Kopri, Thane, who admitted ownership of the money.

Acting on a tip-off regarding a significant amount of cash in a hotel in the Indiranagar area, the flying squad from Nashik West constituency raided the location. During the operation, they discovered and confiscated the cash from two bags in the room.

The income tax (I-T) department was subsequently notified due to the large sum involved, and the money was deposited into the government treasury. Officials stated that the I-T department would conduct further investigations.

The raid was conducted under the supervision of district collector and returning officer Jalaj Sharma, with guidance from deputy expenditure observer Deepak Gavai. The operation involved officers Y.P. Binner, Dilip Suryawanshi, and Nilesh Wagh from flying squads 3 and 4, as well as other police personnel.

Jalaj Sharma urged citizens to report any instances of cash or freebies distribution to the respective state assembly election office.

₹1000 Crore Seized Ahead of Elections: Sevenfold Enforcement agencies under the Election Commission have seized more than ₹1,000 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, freebies, and other inducements during the ongoing State Legislative Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and various bye-polls.

Maharashtra and Jharkhand alone account for ₹858 crore in confiscations, a sevenfold increase compared to the 2019 assembly elections. During the 2019 polls, Maharashtra recorded seizures of ₹103.61 crore, while Jharkhand reported ₹18.76 crore.

In Maharashtra, ₹153.48 crore in cash, ₹71.13 crore worth of liquor, ₹72.14 crore in drugs, ₹282.49 crore in precious metals, and ₹80.94 crore worth of freebies were seized. In Jharkhand, confiscations included ₹14.84 crore in cash, ₹7.84 crore worth of liquor, ₹14.84 crore in drugs, ₹8.38 crore worth of precious metals, and ₹152.22 crore worth of freebies. Bye-polls across 14 states saw additional seizures of cash, liquor, drugs, and other inducements amounting to ₹223.91 crore.

Notable operations in Maharashtra included the confiscation of ₹3.70 crore in cash from a suspicious jeep in Palghar’s Wada area, 4,500 kg of cannabis plants worth ₹4.51 crore in Buldhana district, and ₹5.20 crore worth of silver bars in Raigad. In Ratnagiri’s coastal belt, liquor valued at ₹1.02 crore was also seized.

In Jharkhand, efforts to crack down on illegal mining yielded significant results, such as the seizure of mining material worth ₹2.26 crore in Sahibganj’s Rajmahal constituency. Other notable confiscations included 687 kg of poppy straw in Daltonganj and 48.18 kg of marijuana in Hazaribagh.

Bye-polls also witnessed rigorous enforcement, with significant seizures such as 449 cartons of liquor concealed behind potato boxes intercepted in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district.

The Election Commission’s crackdown began months ahead of the elections, involving extensive monitoring and coordination among enforcement agencies. Key measures included sensitizing personnel, marking expenditure-sensitive constituencies, deploying experienced observers, and using the Election Seizure Management System for real-time monitoring.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, directed officials to maintain a strict vigil in the final days of polling and prevent any distribution of inducements. This concerted effort underscores the Commission’s commitment to curbing money power and ensuring free and fair elections.

Election Commission seizes ₹1,000 crore during ongoing state elections

₹1000 Crore Seized Ahead of Elections: Sevenfold The Election Commission has reported confiscating over ₹1,000 crore in cash, liquor, drugs, and other inducements during the ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and 14 states where bypolls are being held.

Of this total, ₹858 crore was seized from Maharashtra and Jharkhand alone, representing a sevenfold increase compared to the 2019 assembly elections. Back then, seizures amounted to ₹103.61 crore in Maharashtra and ₹18.76 crore in Jharkhand.

The second phase of voting in Jharkhand and Maharashtra is scheduled for November 20, with votes being counted on November 23.

According to the Election Commission, seizures in Maharashtra occurred across all districts, significantly surpassing previous elections. Key operations included ₹3.70 crore in cash recovered from a suspicious jeep in Palghar’s Wada area, 4,500 kg of cannabis plants worth ₹4.51 crore seized in Buldhana’s Jamod constituency, and ₹5.20 crore worth of silver bars confiscated in Raigad.

The Commission attributed the rise in seizures to its focus on curbing the influence of money power in elections, emphasizing that officials and observers remain vigilant in the final days before polling to prevent the distribution of inducements.

Jharkhand also saw record confiscations, with efforts targeting illicit mining activities leading to significant results. For instance, ₹2.26 crore worth of illegal mining material was seized in Sahibganj’s Rajmahal constituency. Additionally, enforcement teams confiscated 687 kg of poppy straw in Daltonganj and 48.18 kg of marijuana in Hazaribagh.

In Rajasthan’s Nagaur district, 449 cartons of liquor were intercepted while being transported under layers of potato boxes.

The Election Commission highlighted that these successes were the result of extensive monitoring processes initiated months before the elections. These efforts included reviewing and sensitizing enforcement agencies, marking expenditure-sensitive constituencies, training on expenditure monitoring systems, and deploying experienced Expenditure Observers.

The increased use of information technology also played a critical role, with the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) enabling real-time monitoring and coordination among multiple agencies for greater efficiency and deterrence.