Bengal tops poll seizures among five states with Rs 319 crore haul

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India has seized over Rs 651 crore across five poll-bound states, with West Bengal accounting for more than Rs 319 crore—around 49 per cent of the total—since the activation of the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS) on February 26, 2026.

According to the poll body, in West Bengal alone, freebies and other items worth Rs 150 crore have been seized, followed by drugs valued at

Rs 65 crore. Agencies have also confiscated illicit liquor worth Rs 55 crore and precious metals amounting to Rs 39 crore, along with unaccounted cash totalling Rs 11 crore.

Commission sources said that on Saturday, CRPF personnel, in coordination with district police, seized Rs 2.45 lakh in cash from the Machantola naka point under Joypur Police Station in Bankura.

The Excise Department has also carried out major operations. On April 2, a consignment of non-duty paid (NDP) liquor from Sikkim worth

Rs 22 lakh, along with a vehicle, was seized near the Ghum–Bhanjyang area in Darjeeling. On the same day, another stock of NDP liquor valued at Rs 7.41 crore was recovered from a godown in the Sonada area.

The Commission had announced the schedule for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with bypolls, on March 15, 2026.

To ensure free and fair polls, the Commission has held multiple review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police and senior officials from the five poll-bound states and 12 neighbouring states, as well as heads of enforcement agencies, directing them to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free elections.