₹42.65 crore-worth cash, goods seized in T.N. as part of poll monitoring till March 18: ECI

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday said it seized a total of ₹42.65 crore worth of cash and other goods as of March 18 as part of the ongoing election expenditure monitoring and enforcement activities for the Assembly elections.

In a statement, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said the seizures include ₹2.37 crore in cash, ₹0.18 crore worth of liquor, ₹2.88 crore worth of drugs and narcotic substances, ₹16.42 crore worth of precious metals, and ₹20.80 crore worth of freebies and other items.

The expenditure monitoring teams and agencies have intensified surveillance and coordination mechanisms to curb the distribution of illicit cash, inducements, and other prohibited materials, the statement added.