Over Rs 20 Crore Unaccountable Cash Seized During 2024 Polls In Odisha, Says CEO

Bhubaneswar: More than Rs 20 crore unaccountable cash was seized during dual elections in Odisha, said chief electoral officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal on Thursday.

Speaking to media persons here, Dhal said total Rs 20.8 crore of unaccountable cash has been seized by enforcement teams of model code of conduct during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.

The money seized during 2024 elections was 20 times of the amount seized in 2019 general elections. Giving the comparative figures, the CEO said while Rs 1.17 crore was seized during 2019 elections, it was Rs 1.89 crore in 2014 polls.

He said liquor worth a whopping Rs 40.75 crore was seized during this election compared to Rs 9.42 crore in 2019 and Rs 6.65 crore in 2014.

Similarly, the amount of ganja and brown sugar seized by the enforcement teams went up several folds in 2024 elections. Around Rs 78 crore worth ganja and brown sugar was seized in this election compared to Rs 22.02 crore in 2019 and Rs 7.23 crore in 2014 elections, he added.

The total amount of seized cash and narcotics during 2024 elections was Rs 275 crore against Rs 44.6 crore in 2019 and Rs 20 crore in 2014 elections, Dhal said.

Meanwhile, the CEO said security arrangements for the final phase polls in the state have been further strengthened. In Jajpur Lok Sabha seat, one more company of CAPF would be deployed during the polling in the constituency, taking the deployment to 21 CAPF companies.

With this, total 126 companies of CAPF would be deployed to maintain law and order and ensure free and fair elections in the fourth and final elections in the state on June 1, he added.