The Election Commission of India (ECI) has seized illegal inducements worth over Rs 1,444 crore during the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with bye-elections in seven Assembly constituencies across five states.

According to the ECI, strict enforcement measures were implemented to ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and to conduct violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free elections. The MCC has now ceased to operate in all poll-bound states and Union Territories except the 144-Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal.

To strengthen monitoring, the Commission held multiple review meetings with Chief Secretaries, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), Directors General of Police (DGPs), senior state officials and heads of enforcement agencies from the poll-going states and neighbouring regions.

The ECI deployed 376 Expenditure Observers drawn from various central services, including IRS, IA&AS, IRAS, IDAS, IP&TAFS and ICAS. Additionally, 7,470 Flying Squad Teams (FSTs) and an equal number of Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) were stationed across the states to monitor the movement of cash, liquor, drugs and other inducements.

The seizures were coordinated through the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS), an IT-based platform activated on February 26, 2026. The system facilitated real-time communication and intelligence-sharing among enforcement agencies.

Among the states, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest seizure amount at Rs 662.28 crore, followed by West Bengal with Rs 573.41 crore. Assam reported seizures worth Rs 117.24 crore, Kerala Rs 80.67 crore and Puducherry Rs 9.72 crore.

The total seizures included Rs 154.89 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 183.33 crore, drugs valued at Rs 337.88 crore, precious metals worth Rs 250.14 crore and freebies or other inducements amounting to Rs 518.73 crore.

The Commission stated that the total seizures marked a 40.14 per cent increase compared to the 2021 Assembly elections in these states and UTs, when seizures stood at Rs 1,029.93 crore.

West Bengal recorded the sharpest rise in seizures with an increase of 68.92 per cent, while Tamil Nadu registered a 48.40 per cent increase over the 2021 figures.