New Delhi, May 7 -- More than Rs.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 Rs.154.89 crore, 69.8 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs.183.3 crore, drugs worth Rs.337.8 crore, "precious metal" worth Rs.250 crore and freebies worth Rs.518 crore, the Election Commission revealed.

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

"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 C...