NEW DELHI :
AUTHORITIES have seized
cash, drugs and inducements
worthRs8,889crorethataimed
toinfluencevotersintheongoing Lok Sabha polls, the
Election Commission said on
Saturday. At 45 per cent, drugs
formedthebiggestchunkofthe
total seizures. Narcoticsworth
around Rs 3,959 crore were
seized, it said.
Drugs, liquor, preciousmetals,freebiesandcashinfluence
elections in varying degrees,
some flowing directly as
inducements while others
through reduced levels of circulation of money, the poll
authority said.
The commission said it has
laid special emphasis on the
seizure of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Analysis of data found that
states and Union Territories
that used to be transit zones
areincreasinglybecomingconsumption territories of drugs,
it said. The Gujarat ATS,
Narcotics Control Bureau and
theIndianCoastGuard in joint
operations have made three
high-value seizuresofdrugs in
just three days, amounting to
Rs892crore,thepollpanelnoted. Rs 849.15 crore in cash, Rs
814.85 crore worth of liquor,
drugs worth Rs 3,958.85 crore
and precious metals worth Rs
1,260.33 crore have been
seized, it added.