Marking a significant milestone in India’s electoral history, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has disclosed its remarkable achievement in seizing inducements/incentives amid preparations for the Lok Sabha elections starting on April 19. With an unprecedented daily haul of Rs 100 crore since March 1, 2024, the ECI has already confiscated Rs 4,650 crore. The figure surpassed the total seizures made during the 2019 polls. This daily seizure rate of Rs 100 crore since March 1 underscores the ECI’s determination to conduct fair and transparent elections, free from malpractice.
Out of the confiscated money, around 45 percent (a substantial portion) comprises drugs and narcotics. This showcases the ECI’s focused efforts to curb illicit activities that could influence the electoral process. The success is credited to careful planning, enhanced cooperation among agencies, active citizen participation, and the effective use of technology.
The ECI highlighted the need to stop using illegal money and keeping political funding secret, stressing that everyone should have an equal chance in elections. They quickly fixed issues such as the selective checking of prominent leaders’ convoys. This shows ECI’s commitment to impartiality and transparency.
The significance of these efforts is further highlighted by recent seizures in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where enforcement agencies have confiscated substantial amounts of cash, narcotics, liquor, and other goods. These proactive measures of ECI aim to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that elections are conducted freely, fairly, and transparently.
On April 13, the Election Commission of India reported significant seizures in Karnataka since the model code of conduct was implemented on March 16. The state’s general elections will occur on April 26 and May 7 in two phases. Flying squads, static surveillance teams, and police authorities have collectively seized Rs 46.59 crore in cash, liquor worth over Rs 151 crore, narcotics valued at Rs 9.93 crore, gold worth Rs 56.86 crore, and freebies worth Rs 7.73 crore. Additionally, 1650 FIRs were filed for various seizures, and the Excise Department has registered around 2,086 heinous cases and 2,707 cases for breach of license conditions.
Similarly in Madhya Pradesh, seizures totaling more than Rs 103 crore have been made between March 16 and April 10. This includes Rs 13.77 crore in cash, 15.74 lakh liters of liquor worth Rs 24.64 crore, drugs weighing 14,780 kg valued at Rs 19.41 crore, and gold and silver worth Rs 9.40 crore.
As the Lok Sabha elections continue, the ECI is strongly dedicated to stopping any unfair actions and keeping the democratic process honest. With more seizures and careful watching, the ECI is working hard to follow the democratic rules in India’s Constitution and protect the honesty of the election system.
