New Delhi, April 5 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Sunday that various enforcement agencies have confiscated illegal cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other inducements totaling over Rs 650 crore to guarantee free and fair elections during the ongoing state Assembly polls and by-elections.

As per the Commission's report, the total seizures have amounted to Rs 651.51 crore since the launch of the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS) on February 26, showcasing a heightened state of vigilance in electoral regions.

The poll body revealed the election schedule for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, alongside by-elections in six states, on March 15.

In response, stringent enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been implemented, with mandates issued to all states and Union Territories to avert inducements and uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

To bolster enforcement efforts, the ECI has deployed over 5,173 flying squads tasked with addressing complaints within 100 minutes.

Furthermore, more than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) have been stationed at crucial points to conduct surprise inspections and oversee suspicious activities.

Among the states, West Bengal leads with the highest confiscations at Rs 319 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu at Rs 170 crore and Assam at Rs 97 crore. Kerala recorded seizures totaling Rs 58 crore, while Puducherry noted Rs 7 crore.

When categorized, drugs represented Rs 230 crore of the total seizures, with freebies and other inducements accounting for Rs 231.01 crore.

Liquor confiscations amounted to over 29.63 lakh litres, valued at Rs 79.3 crore, while cash seizures were recorded at Rs 53.2 crore. Precious metals worth Rs 58 crore were also seized during this enforcement initiative.

The Commission has held multiple review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police, and senior officials from both poll-bound states and 12 neighboring states and Union Territories. Various enforcement agency heads have been urged to maintain stringent oversight to ensure violence-free and intimidation-free elections.

Simultaneously, the ECI has stressed the importance of ensuring that enforcement actions do not inconvenience or harass the general populace. District Grievance Committees have been established to address complaints concerning the inspection processes.

The Commission has also encouraged citizens and political parties to report violations of the MCC through the C-Vigil module available on the ECINET platform.