Assembly polls: EC seizes drugs, cash, and liquor worth over Rs 1,760 crore

The Election Commission has cracked its whip on several occasions to ensure a level playing field for all parties in the five states where elections are being held, even as authorities provided freebies, drugs, cash and liquor worth over Rs 1,766 crore confiscations intended to lure voters.

Based on complaints and input from the local polling station, the EC has issued warnings and advisories to top politicians to adhere to the provisions of the model code.

It withdrew the permission granted to the Telangana government for disbursement of financial assistance to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu scheme after a state minister violated the provisions of the model code by issuing a public notice to do about.

The poll panel had given a nod to the state government to disburse the rabi payment during the model code of conduct period on certain grounds.

It had also asked the government not to implement the proposed Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, its mega outreach program for plans and initiatives, in these five states till December 5.

The government had made it clear that the yatra will not cover voting states until the model code of conduct is in place.

Based on complaints from rival parties, the EC has issued notices to former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Later, he was counseled and asked to follow the model code in letter and spirit.

Recently, the Election Commission also sought an explanation from the Congress government in Karnataka over advertisements publishing its achievements in newspapers in poll-bound Telangana.

In a letter to the Karnataka chief secretary, the committee said the state government had not taken prior approval from her for publishing the advertisements, a move that violated the poll code.

It also said that publication of such advertisements by the Karnataka government in Telangana should stop with immediate effect until necessary approvals are obtained from the state government from the commission.

According to the EC, seizures of over Rs 1,766 crore during the election period in Mizoram, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan were seven times higher than in the 2018 Assembly elections.

The Election Seizure Management System, used for the first time, facilitated coordination among enforcement agencies, the poll panel said.