ECI's Crackdown: Over Rs 400 Crore Seized During Assembly Elections

The Election Commission of India has seized illicit inducements valued at more than Rs 400 crore following the assembly election announcements in four states and a union territory earlier this month. The commission revealed that since February 26, a total of Rs 408.82 crore in illegal assets have been intercepted and confiscated, leveraging the newly activated Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS).

The confiscated haul includes Rs 17.44 crore in cash, Rs 37.68 crore worth of alcohol, narcotics valued at Rs 167.38 crore, and significant quantities of precious metals and other inducements.

Subsequent to the announcement on March 15 of the assembly election schedule in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, along with bye-elections across six states, the Model Code of Conduct was enforced. The ECI deployed a robust mechanism comprising over 5,173 flying squads and more than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams to manage and respond swiftly to potential electoral malpractice reports.

In preparation for violence-free and inducement-free elections, the commission held a high-level review meeting on March 24, comprising senior officials from the election-bound states and neighboring regions. The goal was clear: enhanced coordination among enforcement agencies for effective monitoring and response.

To facilitate public convenience, the ECI established District Grievance Committees and enhanced citizen engagement through the C-Vigil app, ensuring that complaints about MCC violations are promptly addressed. Remarkably, 95.8 percent of received complaints were resolved within 100 minutes. A dedicated hotline, 1950, further empowers citizens to lodge complaints directly with district election authorities.