Authorities have seized over ₹108 crore worth of illegal cash, liquor, drugs, and freebies in Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls.
The Election Commission has deployed 824 flying squads and is using its C-VIGIL system to act swiftly on citizen complaints.
The crackdown signals the Commission’s intensified push to curb electoral inducements and ensure free and fair voting.
Enforcement agencies in Bihar have seized illicit cash, liquor, drugs, and other items worth more than ₹108 crore ahead of the state’s two-phase Assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and November 11.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the seizures — made in coordinated operations by police, excise, and income tax departments — are part of intensified efforts to curb electoral malpractices and ensure fair polling. The Commission has described the crackdown as one of the largest in recent election cycles.
As of November 3, the ECI data shows that officials have confiscated ₹9.62 crore in unaccounted cash, narcotics worth ₹24.61 crore, and liquor valued at ₹42.14 crore — roughly translating to 9.6 lakh litres of illegal alcohol. Additionally, precious metals worth ₹5.8 crore and various freebies valued at over ₹26 crore were also recovered.
To maintain vigilance, the Commission has deployed 824 flying squads and surveillance teams across the state. These teams are tasked with responding to public complaints filed through the C-VIGIL app, which allows citizens to report election violations in real-time. Each complaint is to be addressed within 100 minutes of being filed, the ECI said.
An official statement from the Commission said that strict monitoring of cash movement, narcotics, liquor, and other inducements would continue throughout the election period. “All enforcement authorities have been instructed to maintain 24x7 vigilance to ensure that the integrity of the election process is not compromised,” the statement read.
The massive seizure underscores the scale of money power and inducements that continue to shape electoral contests in Bihar. With voting less than a week away, the Election Commission’s enforcement drive highlights both the magnitude of the challenge and the administration’s determination to ensure a clean election.
