EC Seizes ₹1,444 Crore During 2026 Assembly Polls
Tamil Nadu, Bengal top list as Election Commission tightens crackdown on inducements
- Election Commission of India seizes illicit goods worth ₹1,444 crore
- Tamil Nadu records highest seizures at ₹662 crore
- West Bengal sees biggest jump compared to 2021 polls
- Cash, liquor, drugs and precious metals among confiscated items
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th May: The Election Commission of India has seized illicit inducements worth more than ₹1,444 crore during the 2026 Assembly elections and bypolls conducted across Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
According to official data released by the poll body, the seizures included cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies, reflecting a 40.14 per cent increase compared to the 2021 Assembly elections in these states and Union Territory.
Tamil Nadu recorded the highest overall seizures at ₹662.28 crore, followed by West Bengal at ₹573.41 crore. Assam accounted for ₹117.24 crore, Kerala ₹80.67 crore and Puducherry ₹9.72 crore.
The Election Commission said the enforcement drive was carried out through coordinated action involving Chief Electoral Officers, police, expenditure observers and central enforcement agencies.
A total of 376 expenditure observers, along with 7,470 Flying Squad Teams and an equal number of Static Surveillance Teams, were deployed to ensure inducement-free polling.
The commission also used the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS), a digital platform launched in February 2026 to improve coordination and real-time information sharing among agencies.
Among the seizures, authorities confiscated cash worth ₹154.89 crore, drugs valued at ₹337.88 crore, precious metals worth ₹250.14 crore and freebies worth ₹518.73 crore. Over 69 lakh litres of liquor were also seized during the election period.
The poll body noted that West Bengal recorded the sharpest rise in seizures compared to 2021, with an increase of nearly 69 per cent, while Tamil Nadu saw a rise of over 48 per cent.
The Model Code of Conduct has now ceased in all poll-bound states and Union Territories except the Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal, where repolling is scheduled.
