Liquor, drugs and cash worth Rs 1,760 crore seized

• Legislative Assembly Elections across 5 States

• Various items and cash are being distributed to attract the voters

New Delhi – Assembly elections are being held in 5 States namely Rajasthan, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently revealed that during the election period, liquor, drugs, cash and precious metals worth Rs 1,760 crore have been seized from these 5 States so far. This figure is 7 times the amount of seizures during the 2018 Assembly elections in these States. At that time, items worth more than Rs 239 crore were seized. The seized items and cash were being distributed to attract the voters. The seizure had started after the announcement of elections on 9th October by the ECI.

According to the ECI, items worth Rs 1,400 crore were seized from 6 States (Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Gujarat and Karnataka) where elections were held earlier. This amount was 11 times the amount of seizures during the last but one election held in these 6 States.

Editorial Perspective

It is known to all that liquor, cash, etc. are distributed to voters before the elections in India. This has been happening for years in the largest democracy in the world. This is indeed shameful for Indians.