ECI seizes ₹865 crore in pre-poll crackdown

India's Election Commission has seized over ₹865 crore in cash, liquor, drugs, gold, and freebies in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Sources

1 verified

Location

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, India

Updated

Friday, 17 April 2026 at 13:35 UTC

No media · text-only dispatch

Synthesis · 1 sources

India's Election Commission (ECI) has launched a massive pre-poll crackdown in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, seizing over ₹865 crore in cash, liquor, drugs, gold, and freebies. The operation deployed 5,011 Flying Squad Teams and 5,363 Static Surveillance Teams to enforce the Model Code of Conduct. In West Bengal, authorities seized ₹427 crore, while in Tamil Nadu, seizures totaled ₹438 crore. This crackdown aims to curb electoral malpractices and ensure fair voting in these key states.