Enforcement teams have seized liquor, psychotropic substances and unaccounted cash after the model code of conduct came into force in Punjab following the announcement of the Assembly elections, a poll official said on Thursday.
The estimated value of the confiscated items is worth Rs 23.8 crore, he said.The seizure was made till January 12, he added.The Election Commission had on January 8 announced the poll schedule for the elections in Punjab and four other states.Punjab goes to the polls in a single phase of voting on February 14.Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju said on Thursday surveillance teams have seized 79,766.512 litres of liquor worth Rs 24 lakh.
“Similarly, the enforcement wings have also recovered psychotropic substances amounting to Rs 23.366 crore besides confiscating unaccounted cash of Rs 4 lakhs,” he said in an official statement.As many as 1,131 persons have been identified who can create a disturbance (during polls), Raju said.”Out of these persons action had already been initiated against 362, while the remaining would also be brought to book,” he said.Raju informed there were 998 non-bailable warrant cases under process in the state, of which action had already been initiated against 873 persons after the enforcement of the model code of conduct on January 8.The enforcement teams have removed as many as 49,852 defacements on public properties and 16,900 on private properties, the statement said.As per the directions of the election commission, Raju said till date 12,684 out of 29,7140 licensed weapons had been deposited in the state, whereas 17 weapons without licenses were seized.He also informed that 84 percent of staff to be deployed in election duties has got their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while overall 49 percent staff is fully vaccinated.
