The Election Commission has brought to light the fact that the incidence of influencing voters through money, gifts, alcohol, or drugs is increasing day by day. They said that during the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur, more than a billion rupees had been confiscated.
According to the commission, the trend of influencing voters in this way is most prevalent in Punjab this time. Content worth Rs 510.91 crore has been confiscated there. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh (306.92 crores), Manipur (16.63 crores), Uttarakhand (16.61 crores), and Goa (12.63 crores). A total of Rs 1,016 crore has been confiscated from five states. However, during the polls in these states in 2016, the Election Commission confiscated materials worth Rs 299.64 crore.
According to the commission’s estimates, Rs 140 crore has been recovered from five state assembly polls this time. That is, there was an attempt to use this money to influence the election. More than 72 lakh liters of liquor worth Rs 99.64 crore have been recovered. Drugs worth Rs 569.52 crore have been seized. Gold and silver worth more than Rs 115 crore have been caught in the net of the Election Commission.
In addition, materials worth Rs 93.50 crore were recovered, which were being distributed to voters in an attempt to influence the vote.
