IT News
Imphal, Feb 26:
Since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, the law enforcing agencies under the strict supervision of the ECI has so far seized items worth Rs. 167.83 crores including Rs. 4.17 Crore in cash from the state of Manipur as on February 25. Items seized included 60881 liters of liquors, Drugs worth Rs. 143.47 crore , precious metal and other freebies items that are suspected to use to influence voters during the election. In 2017 election total seizure of cash, liquor , drugs and other freebies was Rs. 6.42 crore.
A report of the ECI said that over Rs 1,000 crore worth of cash, drugs, liquor and freebies have been seized so far in the assembly polls in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, the Election Commission said in a statement on Friday. The amount of seizures have increased more than four times when compared to the 2017 assembly elections in these states.
The amount of liquor seized from Punjab is the highest — a whopping 59 lakh litres — giving an impression that liquor was overflowing in the state. Punjab was followed by Uttar Pradesh with the seizure of 19 lakh litres of liquor.
Punjab was also on top when it came to drugs as narcotics worth Rs 376 crores was seized from the state, followed by Manipur with Rs 143 crores.
Uttar Pradesh was at the top of the list in cash seizures with Rs 91 crores.
“Apart from above mentioned seizure figures, the Commission’s visit galvanised enforcement authorities as the agencies seized drugs worth Rs 109 crore in Punjab and more than eight lakh litres of liquor in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to the elections,” the EC said in a statement.
The EC held multiple meetings with heads of Enforcement Agencies like – CBDT, CBIC, NCB, Excise and senior officials of bordering states to poll-going states — for a thorough framework to ensure ‘inducement- free’ elections.
The EC also took extensive reviews of enforcement agencies and police nodal officers during the meetings held in the states, to emphasise close and effective monitoring of items meant for influencing voters.
The EC has deployed 228 expenditure observers. The EC has also appointed special expenditure observers, officers who hold an impeccable and brilliant track record of domain expertise.
The special observers have been travelling extensively in their assigned states holding various meetings with the CEO office, district administration and enforcement agencies.
After due assessment, 63 assembly constituencies in these five states have been marked as expenditure sensitive constituencies for more focused vigil.
