Mumbai, Maharashtra (November 6, 2024): Agencies under the Election Commission have seized a total of Rs 558 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, and precious metals in the ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and various bypolls. Freebies alone accounted for more than 40% of the total seizures, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
Operations in Maharashtra have led to seizures valued at approximately Rs 280 crore since the election announcement, while Jharkhand has reported Rs 158 crore worth of seizures. The combined seizures in the two states represent a 3.5-fold increase compared to the 2019 assembly elections, when Maharashtra recorded Rs 103.61 crore in seizures and Jharkhand Rs 18.76 crore.
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The breakdown of the seizures, as reported by the Election Commission, includes the following:
| State | Cash (Rs. Cr) | Liquor (Rs. Cr) | Drugs (Rs. Cr) | Precious Metals (Rs. Cr) | Freebies (Rs. Cr) | Total (Rs. Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 73.11 | 37.98 | 37.76 | 90.53 | 42.55 | 281.93 |
| Jharkhand | 10.46 | 7.15 | 8.99 | 4.22 | 127.88 | 158.7 |
| By-Polls (14 States) | 8.9 | 7.63 | 21.47 | 9.43 | 70.59 | 118.01 |
| Total | 92.47 | 52.76 | 68.22 | 104.18 | 241.02 | 558.64 |
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had earlier directed a "zero tolerance" policy towards any inducements in the elections. He emphasized the formation of joint teams from multiple agencies to clamp down on the distribution and movement of illicit goods. In a recent meeting with senior officials from Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as well as neighboring states, Kumar stressed the need for vigilant monitoring of inter-state borders and urged agencies to trace the sources of seized items for broader deterrence.