Mumbai, Jan 12: Ahead of the upcoming BMC elections, attempts to influence voters with cash, alcohol and other substances have come to light. The civic body reported on Monday that narcotics worth Rs 45.95 crore and cash totalling Rs 3.10 crore have been seized across the city.
Large quantities of alcohol were also confiscated. To maintain law and order during the polls, 29 individuals have been booked for both cognisable and non-cognisable offences.
Polling schedule and surveillance measures
Polling for the civic elections will be held on January 15 from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. The BMC has formed 148 flying squads and 181 static surveillance teams to ensure a smooth, transparent and impartial BMC Election 2026 and strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
In the past few days, these squads have taken action in which 1,237 litres of alcohol worth Rs 8.03 lakh were seized. Additionally, 55 kilograms of narcotic substances, valued at Rs 44.95 crore, have also been confiscated. The use of cash to influence voters is widespread during elections; in this context, vigilant election officials and police have seized Rs 3.10 crore in cash.
Police action and preventive steps
“The seizures were made from 23 locations across Mumbai, with the largest haul of Rs 20 lakh recovered from K East Ward in Jogeshwari,” a senior civic official said.
In total, 29 election-related cases have been registered, including 16 cognisable and 13 non-cognisable offences. The Mumbai Police have also recovered 36 firearms, 115 sharp weapons and 52 rounds of ammunition. Ahead of the elections, preventive measures have been taken against 2,450 individuals with known criminal backgrounds.
Meanwhile, during the election period, the BMC removed and seized a total of 7,651 illegal hoardings and 1,601 flags.
Campaigning deadline
The election campaigning period will officially end on Tuesday at 5.30 pm. Following this deadline, all political parties and candidates must immediately remove their campaign materials.
Failure to comply will invite legal action under the law for property defacement, and any administrative costs incurred for removal will be added to the candidate’s election expenses, said Dr Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner.
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She further stated that, as per the directives of the State Election Commission, campaigning will also be prohibited 48 hours before voting across all media, including electronic platforms, messaging apps, social media and print media.
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