‘Cash, goods worth ₹75 cr. seized in T.N.’

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday said it seized cash and goods worth ₹75.03 crore as on March 21, as part of the ongoing election expenditure monitoring and enforcement activities for the Assembly election.

Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said ₹23.74 crore in cash, liquor worth ₹0.51 crore, drugs and narcotic substances worth ₹5.63 crore, precious metals worth ₹23.19 crore, and freebies worth ₹21.96 crore were seized.

The EC has deployed 136 general observers, 40 police observers, and 151 expenditure observers in the State and they have been assigned to the 234 Assembly segments to ensure transparency and accountability in the conduct of the ensuing Assembly election, she said.

Ms. Patnaik also said the EC had been implementing robust election expenditure monitoring mechanisms to ensure that surveillance and enforcement teams are actively deployed across the State to monitor and curb illegal inducements, including cash, liquor, drugs, and other prohibited items.