Total seizures cross Rs 136 crore this elections

Bengaluru: The Election Commission authorities have seized money and complimentary gifts worth Rs 136 crore till Monday. 

Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said the money segment seized after the model implicit rules came into drive on March 27 alone was Rs. 55.16 crore, while 4.8 lakh liters of alcohol worth Rs. 22.15 crore has been seized. 

Of the aggregate Rs. 39.11 crore gifts seized, valuable metals, including gold ornaments added up to Rs. 21.42 crore as more than 50 kg of gold or gold gems has been seized. 

Indeed, Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat, during his last visit to the State, had said that money, alcohol and gifts being distributed in the State were a matter of concern for the commission.

In correlation, when the model code of conduct was set up in 2013 Assembly elections and 2014 general elections, EC authorities had seized Rs. 13.42 crore and Rs. 28.08 crore individually. With respect to alcohol, authorities had seized 67,953 liters in 2013 and 44,924 out of 2014. While Rs. 6.78 crore worth of complimentary gifts had been seized in 2014, no free gifts were seized in 2013, according to reports given by the EC.