Over Rs 1,400 Crore Worth Of Illicit Inducements Seized During 2026 Polls; Highest In Bengal: ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday released a data and said over Rs 1,400 crore worth of illicit inducements were seized during 2026 General Elections, Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, and bye-elections in seven Assembly constituencies across five states.

As per the communique, West Bengal registered the highest increase in seizures at 68.92 per cent, followed by Tamil Nadu with a rise of 48.40 per cent compared to the 2021 elections.

General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and bye-elections 2026. Over Rs. 1400 crores worth of illicit inducements seized: ECI pic.twitter.com/zFiuJjvinK

— IANS (@ians_india) May 7, 2026

According to the poll body, the large-scale seizures were part of

intensified monitoring and enforcement measures aimed at ensuring free, fair, and inducement-free elections. The Commission noted that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has now ceased to be in force in all the poll-bound states and Union Territory, except the 144-Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal.

The ECI said it conducted multiple review meetings during the election process with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), Directors General of Police (DGPs), and senior officials from the poll-going states as well as neighbouring states and Union Territories. Senior officers from enforcement agencies were also involved in the coordination process.

To strengthen surveillance and monitoring, the Commission deployed 376 Expenditure Observers drawn from various central services, including the Indian Revenue Service, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Indian Railway Accounts Service, and others.

In addition, 7,470 Flying Squad Teams (FSTs) and an equal number of Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) were deployed across the states to prevent voter inducement, intimidation, and poll-related violence.

The ECI stated that the total seizures recorded during the 2026 elections marked a 40.14 per cent increase compared to the 2021 Assembly elections in the same states and Union Territory, when seizures amounted to Rs 1,029.93 crore.