JAMMU: Authorities have seized cash, liquor, drugs, and freebies worth over Rs 4 crore in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India said on Monday.
The poll body is on track for the highest-ever seizures of inducements recorded in the 75-year history of Lok Sabha elections in the country, with seizures totalling Rs 4650 crores, showing an increase of Rs 175 crore compared to 2019, it said.
According to the EC data, cash worth Rs 1.2 crores, liquor worth Rs 63 lakh, drugs worth Rs 2.35 crores, precious metals worth Rs 25,800, and freebies and other items worth Rs 5.59 lakh were seized in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Total seizures in J&K are worth Rs 4.2 crore,” it said.
Similarly, all items amounting to Rs 11,580 were seized in Ladakh, including liquor, making it the lowest seizure among all the states and union territories.
The EC stated that its crackdown will continue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Among the 36 states and Union territories, Jammu and Kashmir ranks 30th in seizures.
The enforcement agencies have made a record seizure of over Rs 4650 crores in the EC’s resolute fight against money power even before the first phase of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha elections which commences on Friday, it added.
This marks a sharp increase over the Rs 3,475 crores seized during the entire Lok Sabha election in 2019. Significantly, 45 per cent of the seizures are of drugs and narcotics, which are under the special focus of the Commission, it added. (PTI)