Overview
- The Election Commission, which released the figures Thursday, said seizures across Puducherry, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal topped ₹1,400 crore.
- The haul included ₹154.89 crore in cash, 69.8 lakh litres of liquor valued at ₹183.3 crore, drugs worth ₹337.8 crore, precious metals worth ₹250 crore, and freebies valued at ₹518 crore.
- Compared with the 2021 assembly polls in these places, total seizures rose 40.14%, with West Bengal up 68.92% and Tamil Nadu up 48.40%.
- The ECI said 376 expenditure observers and 7,470 flying squad teams, paired with an equal number of static surveillance teams, drove the uptick, aided by the Election Seizure Management System that links agencies and speeds tips.
- Some outlets cited different totals and valuations, including a ₹1,445 crore figure and a much higher drug estimate, while the ECI’s published breakdown remains the official reference.