Liquor worth Rs 23 crore seized in Bihar as poll season vigilance intensifies

Since the announcement of Bihar Assembly elections, authorities have seized liquor worth Rs 23.41 crore, cash, drugs, and freebies totaling Rs 64.13 crore. Over 750 people have been arrested, with intensive surveillance and enforcement measures in place to ensure fair polling

Patna: Enforcement agencies have seized liquor, cash, drugs, and freebies with a combined value of Rs 64.13 crore across Bihar since the announcement of the schedule for the assembly elections on October 6, officials said on Monday.

These seizures include liquor worth Rs 23.41 crore in dry Bihar, they said. The police and other agencies concerned have also arrested 753 people, since October 6, in the state and executed 13,587 non-bailable warrants during this period, an official said.

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According to the latest information provided by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), “the authorities have seized cash, liquor, drugs, and freebies worth around Rs 64.13 crore across the state” since the announcement of the assembly polls on October 6.

The seizures include liquor worth Rs 23.41 crore, freebies worth Rs 14 crore, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances of Rs 16.88 crore, and Rs 4.19 crore in cash, the official said. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already directed multiple enforcement agencies to intensify their vigilance to curb the use of money power in the polls.

The instructions have already been issued to the state police, excise and income tax departments, customs, revenue intelligence, and enforcement directorates, another official said. “Flying squads, surveillance teams, and video surveillance teams are active round-the-clock across the state to monitor any attempt to influence voters through inducements. Instructions have also been given to ensure that enforcement activities must not inconvenience the public during inspections or checks,” he said.

The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes is set to be announced on November 14. “The ECI has already deployed 121 general observers and 18 police observers for phase 1 and 122 general observers along with 20 police observers for phase 2 of the assembly polls,” the official said.

The ECI has instructed the observers to closely monitor the entire election process and ensure a transparent, free, and fair conduct of elections, he said. Observers have also been instructed to visit polling stations and ensure the implementation of the recent initiatives taken by the commission for the convenience of the voters, he said.

While the filing of the nomination papers for the first phase of polls has already been closed on October 17, the last date for submitting such documents for the second round of polls will end on Monday.