EC seizes cash, liquor, drugs, gold and other items worth over Rs 1500 crore across India ahead of LS polls

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) claimed to have seized cash, liquor, drugs, gold/silver and other items amounting worth Rs 1582.19 crores from across the country just days ahead of the seven-stage Lok Sabha elections. Gujarat tops the chart with total seizure worth over Rs 510 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu at Rs 270.15 crore, Andhra Pradesh over Rs 158 crore, Punjab Rs 155.91 crore and Uttar Pradesh Rs 142.31 crore. According to the data provided by the poll body, the highest volume of liquor was seized from Maharashtra (over 19 lakh lt.), followed by Uttar Pradesh (over 12 lakh lt.), Karnataka (7.44 lakh lt.), West Bengal (6.92 lakh lt.) and Andhra Pradesh (5.55 lakh lt.). However, the highest value of the liquor seized is Rs 35.21 crore from Uttar Pradesh followed by Karnataka (Rs 31.92 crore), Andhra Pradesh (Rs 21.23 crore) and others. [caption id=“attachment_6386641” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. ANI[/caption] The highest amount of cash seized is Rs 127.84 crore from the Tamil Nadu followed by Rs 95.79 crore from the Andhra Pradesh, Rs 26.69 crore from the Maharashtra, Rs 24.11 crore from Uttar Pradesh and then others. Gujarat also tops the chart in the value of the drugs and narcotics seized worth Rs 500 crore, followed by Punjab (over Rs 116 crore) and Manipur (Rs 27.13 crore). However, the highest amount of drugs/narcotics seized is from Maharashtra with 14396 kilograms. The value of gold and silver ornaments seized from Tamil Nadu is highest at Rs 135.6 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh at Rs 60.29 crore and then others. Andhra Pradesh tops the chart in a value of other items seized by the poll body at over 10 cores, followed by Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan at Rs 6.19 crore and Rs 3.11 crore, respectively. As per the data provided by the poll body, total cash seizure is worth over Rs 377 crore, total liquor seized is worth over Rs 157 crore, total drugs and narcotics seized is over Rs 705 crore, precious metals are over Rs 312 crore, while freebies and other items amount to total Rs 28.629 crore. Seven phase elections will begin on 11 April and culminate on 19 May. Counting of votes will take place on 23 May.