#Elections2019: Rs. 540cr suspect cash, liquor, freebies seized across country
Suspect cash, illegal liquor and drugs worth about Rs. 540 crore have been seized across the country since parliamentary election schedule was announced by the Election Commission a fortnight ago, official data showed today. Tamil Nadu recorded the maximum seizure of these illegal inducements, suspected to have been routed and used to bribe voters, worth Rs. 107.24 crore. Read the details here.
Total value of seized items was Rs. 539.99 crore: EC
Tamil Nadu was followed by Uttar Pradesh (Rs. 104.53 crore), Andhra Pradesh (Rs. 103.4 crore) and Punjab (Rs. 92.8 crore). Karnataka saw the total seizure of inducements and cash worth Rs. 26.53 crore, Maharashtra recorded Rs. 19.11 crore, and Telangana Rs. 8.2 crore. An Election Commission official said that the total value of seized items was Rs. 539.99 crore.
Cash worth Rs. 143.37cr and drugs of Rs. 131.75cr seized
The polls were declared by the EC on March 10. As per the updated data, till March 25, a total of Rs. 143.37 crore suspect cash, liquor worth Rs. 89.64 crore, drugs of Rs. 131.75 crore, gold and other precious metals worth Rs. 162.93 crore and other freebies of Rs. 12.20 crore have been seized, said EC data for all states for LS polls.
Seven-phase elections begin on April 11, counting on May 23
The EC has deployed hundreds of general observers, expenditure-observers and static and mobile surveillance teams in the country to keep a check on the flow of black money and other illegal gratification so that the level playing field of holding fair polls is not disturbed. The seven-phase polls will begin from April 11 and the counting of votes will take place on May 23.
