UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Maximise seizures, intensify efforts: EC tells States and U.T.

Q1. Ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections, how many Expenditure Observers did the Election Commission of India deploy across the poll-bound States/UT to monitor and maximise seizures?

  • A. 376
  • B. 472
  • C. 289
  • D. 540

Q2. In the context of the ECI's 2026 election expenditure monitoring, what is the 'Election Seizure Management System' (ESMS)?

  • A. An IT platform enabling real-time inter-agency coordination and reporting of seizures of cash, liquor, narcotics and arms
  • B. A statutory tribunal that adjudicates disputes over confiscated election material
  • C. A central fund that compensates States for the cost of enforcement deployments
  • D. A registry of candidates' declared election expenditure accounts

Q3. The Election Commission's plenary power of superintendence, direction and control of elections — the basis on which it directs States/UT to intensify seizures and enforce the Model Code of Conduct — is derived solely from which provision of the Constitution?

  • A. Article 324
  • B. Article 326
  • C. Article 329
  • D. Article 327

Q4. Which ECI IT platform is the one that operationalises real-time inter-agency coordination of seizure data among enforcement agencies during the 2026 elections?

  • A. ESMS (Election Seizure Management System)
  • B. cVIGIL
  • C. Suvidha 2.0
  • D. Saksham