Assembly Elections 2026: Over ₹1,400 Crore Worth Of Liquor, Freebies, Drugs, Cash, 'Precious Metal' Seized

(MENAFN- Live Mint) More than ₹1,400 crore worth of "illicit inducements" were seized during the Assembly elections across five states/UT -- Puducherry, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the Election Commission said on Thursday.

The "illicit inducements" included cash worth ₹154.89 crore, 69.8 lakh litres of liquor worth ₹183.3 crore, drugs worth ₹337.8 crore, "precious metal" worth ₹250 crore and freebies worth ₹518 crore, the Election Commissio revealed.

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This was the total amount of seizures up to 6 May 2026, the poll body added.

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.5 QUESTIONS1What was the total value of illicit inducements seized during the 2026 Assembly elections?⌵

Over ₹1,400 crore worth of illicit inducements were seized during the Assembly elections across five states/UT. This included cash, liquor, drugs, precious metal, and freebies.

2How did the seizure amounts in the 2026 Assembly elections compare to the 2021 General Elections?⌵

The seizures in the 2026 Assembly elections showed a 40.14% increase compared to the 2021 General Elections in the same states/UT. The total seizure in 2021 was ₹1,029.93 crore.

3Which states saw the highest increase in seizures during the 2026 Assembly elections?⌵

West Bengal saw the highest increase in seizures at 68.92%, and Tamil Nadu saw an increase of 48.40% in 2026 compared to the 2021 elections.

4How were the seizures facilitated during the 2026 Assembly elections?⌵

The Election Commission utilized the IT platform Election Seizure Management System (ESMS). This system enhanced inter-agency coordination and streamlined communication for sharing actionable input.

5What types of illicit inducements were seized during the 2026 Assembly elections?⌵

The seized illicit inducements included cash ( ₹154.89 crore), liquor (69.8 lakh litres worth ₹183.3 crore), drugs ( ₹337.8 crore), precious metal ( ₹250 crore), and freebies ( ₹518 crore).

"The figures represent a 40.14% increase in seizures as compared to the 2021 General Elections in these States/UT, when the seizures had amounted to Rs. 1,029.93 crores," the Election Commission said in a statement.

It added,“West Bengal saw the highest increase in the seizures of 68.92%, and Tamil Nadu saw an increase in seizures of 48.40% in 2026 compared to the corresponding figures during the LA elections of 2021.”

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The Election Commission said the seizures were facilitated by the IT platform Election Seizure Management System (ESMS), which enhanced inter-agency coordination and streamlined communication for sharing actionable input.

Assembly election results overview 2026

The Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry were held on 9 April. Voting in Tamil Nadu was held on 23 April, and in West Bengal in two phases - on 23 April and 29 April. The results for all five Assembly elections were declared on 4 May.

In the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's TVK won 108 seats, the DMK 59, AIADMK 47, Congress 5, PMK 4, IUML 2, CPI 2, CPI-M 2, and the VCK 2. The BJP, DMDK and AMMK got one seat each.

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In Puducherry, the All India NR Congress emerged victorious in 12 out of the 16 seats it contested, and the BJP won four of the 10 seats it contested. The AIADMK and Latchia Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), other NDA constituents, emerged successful from one seat each and the combine has 18 seats in the 30-member House, two more than the magic number of 16 required to form the government.

On the other hand, the INDIA bloc has garnered six seats--DMK five and one for the Congress. Most of its candidates, including sitting MP and former Chief Minister Ve Vaithilingam, bit the dust in the hustings. Vaithinlingam was defeated by Rangasamy on his turf, Thattanchavady.

West Bengal saw a massive defeat of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee. The BJP surged to 207 seats, relegating the TMC to just 80, marking a seismic shift in Bengal's political landscape.

In Assam, while the BJP won 82 seats, its allies -- the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) – secured 10 seats each in the 126-member assembly.

In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front secured a decisive victory, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House, while the Left Democratic Front won 35 seats. The BJP also won three seats.

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