The panel will seek the views and contributions of political parties and other stakeholders (representation)
New Delhi:
The Election Commission has set up a committee to consider the issue of revising the spending limit for candidates in Lok Sabha and assembly polls due to the increased number of voters and the increase in the cost inflation index.
The candidate spending limit was last revised in 2014. For Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the limit was increased in 2018.
“In the past six years, the limit has not been increased despite an increase in the electorate from 834 million to 910 million in 2019 to 921 million now. In addition, the cost inflation index during this period has increased from 220 to 280 in 2019 to 301 now, “the commission said in a statement Wednesday.
The committee composed of the former DG Investigations Harish Kumar and the Secretary General of the EC Umesh Sinha will assess the evolution of the number of voters in the States and Union territories and its impact on expenditure.
He was also commissioned to assess the variation in the cost inflation index and its impact on the structure of the expenses incurred by the candidates during the recent elections.
The panel will seek the views and contributions of political parties and other stakeholders, and examine other factors that may affect spending.
The committee will submit its report within four months of its constitution, the EC said.
Given the difficulties candidates will face in campaigning under COVID-19, based on the EC recommendations, the government on Monday raised the existing spending limit by 10%.
The 10% increase will be applicable with immediate effect in the current elections in Bihar and various assemblies and a bypass of Lok Sabha.
The maximum limit for applicants differs from state to state. While this is more in large states, it is different for small states.
After the Justice Department’s notification on Monday, in larger states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar and Haryana, the maximum expenditure a candidate can incur to campaign in Lok Sabha polls is now 77 lakh. So far it was Rs 70 lakh. For assemblies, it was traveled from Rs 28 lakh to Rs 30.8 lakh.
