Jharkhand MCC Violations Soar Amidst Lok Sabha Elections

Over 100 cases of Model Code of Conduct violations were registered in Jharkhand during the Lok Sabha elections. Among the cases, an FIR was lodged against a person for urging guests to vote for the BJP. A record Rs 139.3 crore in cash, drugs, and liquor was seized.

Over 100 instances of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations were documented in Jharkhand during the Lok Sabha elections, a senior official announced on Monday.

The Lok Sabha polls for 14 seats occurred in four phases in Jharkhand, spanning from May 13 to June 1.

According to the senior election official, 'From March 16 to June 2, 101 MCC violation cases were registered throughout Jharkhand, with FIRs lodged in 98 of them.'

In one notable case, an FIR was filed against an individual in Ramgarh district for using house-warming invitation cards to urge guests to vote for the BJP.

Another significant violation involved BJP candidate Dulu Mahto from Dhanbad, who held an election rally on April 15 without the required permissions, leading to an FIR.

The election period also saw a historic seizure of cash, liquor, and drugs worth over Rs 139.3 crore, the official stated.

The confiscation included Rs 37.68 crore in cash by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during raids at various locations, notably involving assets linked to the domestic help of a secretary to Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam.

'A staggering Rs 139.3 crore in cash, drugs, liquor, and other items were seized in Jharkhand following the announcement of the MCC for the Lok Sabha polls,' according to an Election Commission statement.

For comparison, the cash recovered in 2019 was Rs 5 crore.