Over 85 lakh litres of liquor seized from all five states that went to polls: EC

According to figures shared by the EC, drugs worth ₹575.39 crore were also confiscated, making it the biggest chunk of seizures in terms of monetary value.

Stringent curbs by the Election Commission (EC) have led to over 85 lakh litres of liquor being seized from five states that went to polls in February-March, with Punjab accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total haul.

A total of 85,27,227 litres of liquor was seized from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur since the polls were announced on January 8. (File photo. Representative image)

According to figures shared by the EC, drugs worth ₹575.39 crore were also confiscated, making it the biggest chunk of seizures in terms of monetary value.

The poll panel had deployed flying squads and static surveillance teams to check the movement of cash, liquor, drugs, freebies and precious metals during the elections.

The total seizures made during the elections in the five states amounted to ₹1,061.87 crore, which is three-and-a-half times more than the ₹299.84 crore worth seizures made by the poll authority in the five states when elections were held in 2017.

A total of 85,27,227 litres of liquor was seized from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur since the polls were announced on January 8.

Punjab topped the chart at 59,65,496 litres worth ₹36.79 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh (22,94,614 litres worth ₹62.13 crore), Uttarakhand (97,176 litres worth ₹4.79 crore), Goa (95,446 litres worth ₹3.57 crore) and Manipur (74,495 litres worth ₹73 lakh).

Of the ₹575.39 crore worth drugs seized from the five states, Punjab accounted for ₹376.19 crore, followed by Manipur ( ₹143.78 crore), Uttar Pradesh ( ₹48.48 crore), Uttarakhand ( ₹5.66 crore) and Goa ( ₹1.28 crore).

The EC also seized ₹154.52 crore in cash, precious metals worth ₹117.44 crore and freebies worth ₹106.52 crore from the five states.