NEW DELHI: The Delhi chief electoral officer (CEO) announced on Monday that in the lead-up to the assembly polls in the capital, cash and other items worth over Rs 21 crore, including liquor, have been seized within a week of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) coming into effect.
The MCC was enforced on January 7, immediately after the poll schedule was announced. Voting for Delhi’s 70 assembly constituencies is set for February 5, with results to be declared on February 8.
The MCC, issued by the Election Commission (EC), ensures free and fair elections by regulating the conduct of political parties and candidates. It covers areas such as meetings, processions, election manifestos, polling, and overall behaviour during the electoral process.
According to data from the Delhi CEO’s office, the highest value of seizures took place in East Delhi, amounting to Rs 6.83 crore, after closely by South Delhi with 6.81 crore. The New Delhi area reported the lowest seizures, worth Rs 3.9 lakh.
In total, Rs 21.89 crore worth of items have been confiscated across Delhi, including Rs 9.8 crore in cash, precious metals worth Rs 6.1 crore, drugs valued at Rs 5.05 crore, freebies worth over Rs 47 lakh, and liquor worth over Rs 45 lakh.
Delhi chief electoral officer Alice Vaz, during a media interaction earlier in the day, stated that preparations for the assembly polls are progressing smoothly. Training programs for polling personnel have commenced, and critical data on nominations, permissions, and enforcement activities is being monitored daily.
Vaz highlighted the importance of identifying and addressing vulnerable and critical polling stations to ensure seamless voting. “We will follow all instructions of the Election Commission of India for the mapping of vulnerable polling stations,” she said.
She also mentioned that police deployments and security arrangements for the elections are still being finalised.
