Chennai, March 18 Authorities seized a total of ₹2.37 crore in cash as part of ongoing election expenditure monitoring, Tamil Nadu CEO Archana Patnaik said on Wednesday.
In addition to the ₹2.37 crore in cash, precious metals and other items were also seized, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.
Items suspected to be intended for distribution to voters as freebies worth ₹20.80 crore, and precious metals worth ₹16.42 crore were seized, she added.
₹18 lakh worth of liquor and ₹2.88 crore worth of other drugs were also seized, according to Patnaik.
"The expenditure monitoring teams and agencies have intensified surveillance and coordination mechanisms to curb the distribution of illicit cash, inducements, and other prohibited materials," Patnaik said in an official release here.
The cumulative value of seizures as of March 18 stood at ₹42.65 crore, the release said.
The Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 15, following the announcement of poll dates by the Election Commission.
The polling for the Assembly election in Tamil Nadu is to take place on April 23.