Drugs, cash, liquor worth over Rs 1,760 crore seized in five poll-going states: EC

The poll panel said the seizures made since polls were announced on October 9 are more than seven times (Rs 239.15 crore) those made in the previous assembly elections in these states in 2018.

The Election Commission on Monday said over Rs 1,760 crore worth of freebies, drugs, cash, liquor and precious metals aimed at inducing voters in the five poll-going states have been seized so far.

The poll panel said the seizures made since polls were announced on October 9 are more than seven times (Rs 239.15 crore) those made in the previous assembly elections in these states in 2018. While assembly polls have already been held in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, voting will take place in Rajasthan and Telangana on November 25 and November 30 respectively.

The Election Commission of India has ordered re-polling on November 21 at a booth in the Ater assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district, according to an official release.

Repolling has been ordered because of a breach of secrecy as some people shot videos of voting on November 17 at the booth concerned in Kishupura, a district official said.

Four members of the polling team have been suspended for the breach of secrecy, district collector and returning officer Sanjeev Shrivastava said. Voting will be held on November 21 at booth number 3 under polling centre number 71 at Kishupura between 7am and 6pm, the release said, adding that indelible ink will be applied on the middle finger of voters. The order of repolling has been issued to the district returning officer, it said.