Chennai/Kolkata, 22 April (PTI)

As Tamil Nadu and West Bengal head to Assembly polls today, the Election Commission (EC) has intensified enforcement, with poll-related seizures crossing Rs 1,000 crore in Tamil Nadu and concerns emerging over electoral rolls in West Bengal.

In Tamil Nadu, where polling is scheduled for 23 April, authorities have seized cash, gold, liquor and drugs worth Rs 1,262 crore so far, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said. Of this, Rs 543 crore in cash was detected during vehicle checks, while 163 FIRs have been registered for poll-related violations.

The social media monitoring cell has facilitated the removal of 2,180 URLs across platforms as part of efforts to curb inducements and ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

Over 5.73 crore voters, including 14.59 lakh first-time electors, are eligible to vote in Tamil Nadu, where 4,023 candidates are in the fray across 234 constituencies. Polling will be held at more than 75,000 stations with extensive security deployment, including Central Armed Police Forces and over 1.4 lakh police personnel, officials said.

In West Bengal, polling in the first phase will cover 152 ofthe 294 seats. Only 136 voters have been added to the rolls in a supplementary list after their appeals were accepted, while around 27 lakh appeals by voters whose names were deleted remain pending, officials said.

The EC has deployed 2,450 companies of central forces in the State and directed candidates not to leave their constituencies from 6 am on polling day until voting concludes. Amid heightened political activity, the Trinamool Congress has complained to the EC alleging that the BJP arranged “special trains” from Surat in Gujarat to ferry voters to West Bengal, terming it a “corrupt practice” under election law and seeking immediate intervention.

The EC said enforcement agencies have stepped up surveillance and seizures to ensure free and fair elections, with cash, liquor, drugs and other inducements being targeted across both States.