Staff Reporter
Guwahati, April 6 — Enforcement agencies monitoring the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the Assam Assembly Election 2026 have seized cash and materials worth a combined Rs 97 crore since operations began, according to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday.
The seizures have been tracked through the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS), which was activated on February 26, 2026.
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The breakdown of seizures in Assam so far:
Cash: Rs 4 crore
Liquor: Over 6.84 lakh litres, valued at Rs 20 crore
Drugs: Rs 56 crore
Precious metals: Rs 4 crore
Other freebies: Rs 13 crore
Drugs account for the single largest share of the total, reflecting the scale of narcotics-related concerns in the run-up to polling day.
Assam is one of five states and union territories heading to the polls following the ECI's announcement on March 15, 2026, which also scheduled elections in Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Among the five, West Bengal has recorded the highest seizures — enforcement agencies there have confiscated cash and materials worth Rs 319 crore. Across all five poll-going states combined, total seizures have crossed Rs 650 crore.
With voting day approaching on April 9, enforcement on the ground in Assam is at full strength.
Currently deployed across the state are 886 Flying Squad Teams (FSTs), 888 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs), and 72 Quick Response Teams (QRTs).
Nationally, over 5,173 flying squads have been deployed across poll-bound states and union territories, with a mandate to respond to complaints within 100 minutes. More than 5,200 SSTs are also conducting surprise vehicle checks at various locations.
The Election Commission has held multiple review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers, Directors General of Police, and senior enforcement officials from all five poll-bound states, along with their 12 bordering states and union territories.
The Commission has stressed that enforcement must not inconvenience or harass ordinary citizens during checking and inspection drives. District Grievance Committees have been set up to handle any complaints arising from enforcement action.
Voters and political parties can report MCC violations through the C-Vigil module on the ECI's ECINET platform.