2 min readNew DelhiApr 22, 2026 06:45 PM IST
Authorities have seized cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other freebies worth over Rs 1,000 crore in connection with the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
A day before polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday, the EC said freebies worth a total of Rs 1,072.13 crore had been seized until Wednesday, starting from February 26 when the poll panel activated its seizure management system.
The EC said seizures worth Rs 472.89 crore were made in West Bengal, including Rs 27.48 crore in cash, 39.31 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 102.45 crore, drugs worth Rs 108.11 crore, precious metals worth Rs 55.88 crore and other freebies worth Rs 178.33 crore. In Tamil Nadu, agencies seized Rs 100.19 crore in cash, 1.17 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 3.85 crore, drugs worth Rs 76.72 crore, precious metals worth Rs 159.31 crore and other freebies worth Rs 259.14 crore.
The EC had announced elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Assam on March 15. Polling in Assam, Puducherry and Kerala was held on April 9. Polling in all seats of Tamil Nadu and first phase in West Bengal is scheduled on Thursday. Second phase of polling in Bengal is scheduled on April 29.
Counting of votes in all five Assembly polls is on May 4.
In its statement, the EC said 2,728 and 2,283 flying squads had been deployed in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively, to attend to Model Code of Conduct violations. The commission also said 3,142 and 2,221 static surveillance teams had also been deployed in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
“The Commission has held multiple review meetings with the Chief Secretaries, CEOs, DGPs, and senior officers from the poll-going states/UTs and their bordering states/UTs along with the heads of enforcement agencies and directed them to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement free elections,” the EC said.
