Last Update: February 16, 2023, 16:09 IST
Women at a polling booth at Panisagar in North Tripura district during the Tripura Assembly elections (PTI Photo)
Drugs and psychotropic substances accounted for 58 percent of total seizures in these three states. All items including cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and gifts are seeing an increase in seizures
Sharing details of seizures made in these states till Wednesday, Election Commission Joint Director (Media) Anuj Chandak said it was a coordinated effort by enforcement agencies, extensive monitoring, identification of expenditure sensitive constituencies and adequate deployment of field teams. deployment.
In Tripura, where spirited polling is currently underway, Sipahijhala and West Tripura after a special team of district police, forest officials, BSF, narcotics and other agencies were announced in view of the vulnerability of drug and illegal ganja cultivation Made in the district. Election. All this was done under the supervision of the Special Expenditure Observer.
“In Sepahijala, the total destruction of ganja plantation and seizure of dried ganja amounts to Rs 9.27 crore and in West Tripura district, the figure of ganja destruction is Rs 3.75 crore. In North Tripura too, 529 kg of ganja worth Rs 1.10 crore was seized. Similar action is being taken in all the three polling states,” the EC said.
It also pointed out that drugs and psychotropic substances accounted for 58 per cent of the total seizures made in these three states. All items including cash, liquor, narcotics, precious metals and gifts are seeing an increase in seizures.
The poll body further said that the major operation included the seizure of 3.52 kg of heroin worth Rs 10.58 crore by the police in Tripura’s Dhalai district. Seizures of heroin were also reported by the DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) from East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya (2.447 kg) and Chumoukedima district of Nagaland (2.27 kg).
The Election Commission also said that these efforts have led to the seizure of over three lakh liters of liquor in three states, especially in Meghalaya and Nagaland, days before the final completion of elections.
In addition, due to strict vigilance on the instructions of the Commission to keep a close watch on online bribery and cash delivery, cash worth Rs 14.05 crore has been seized. Along with the seizure of free gifts, a huge seizure of foreign origin cigarettes (17.09 lakh sticks) worth Rs 3.67 crore has come to the fore in Meghalaya.
“Constant efforts have been made to monitor election expenditure in poll-bound states like Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya due to the emphasis on inducement-free elections by the Election Commission of India. The seizures recorded in the three states have increased by more than 20 times as compared to the 2018 assembly elections.
The commission has deployed 64 expenditure observers in three states – 19 expenditure observers in Tripura, 21 in Meghalaya and 24 in Nagaland and also two special expenditure observers for strict monitoring and surveillance. The ECI said that at least 80 assembly constituencies have been identified as expenditure sensitive.
Polling is underway in Tripura while Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on February 27. The counting of votes in these three states will take place on March 2.
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