March 17, 2021: As per the directions of the Election Commission, the authorities have seized cash to the tune of Rs 12.17 crore and drugs, gold and silver ornaments valued at Rs 52.65 crore in a bid to ensure a free, fair and safe Assembly polls in Assam.

Election officials on Tuesday night said that the Assam Police, state excise department, income tax department, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Narcotics Control Bureau, flying squads, static surveillance teams and other regulatory agencies have been working round-the-clock to detect any suspicious movement of cash, liquor, valuables and narcotics across the state since the Election Commission announced the dates of the polls on February 26.

He said that besides the cash amount of Rs 12.17 crore, liquor worth of Rs 17.82 crore, gold, silver ornaments valued at Rs 2.82 crore, heroin and marijuana worth around Rs 27.13 crore, cigarettes of foreign origin, poppy seeds and contraband tablets valued at Rs 4.88 crore have been seized.

Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases. Phase one will see polling for 47 constituencies on March 27 while in the second phase, polling would be held for 39 seats on April 1. The remaining 40 constituencies will go to the polls on April 6. The results will be declared on May 2.