by NEW DELHI: The maximum poll expenditure limit for candidates has been hiked to Rs 95 lakh from Rs 70 lakh for Lok Sabha elections and to Rs 40 lakh from Rs 28 lakh for assembly elections, as per a decision taken by the law ministry on the recommendation of the Election Commission.
The new expenditure limits for assembly polls, revised in view of the rise in cost inflation index and the size of the electorate, will be applicable to the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.
Sources told TOI that while the Lok Sabha poll expenditure limit for bigger states, which was Rs 70 lakh as per last revision done in 2014 and was increased to Rs 77 lakh in an ad-hoc arrangement during Covid, has been raised to Rs 95 lakh. For the smaller states, where the limit was Rs 54 lakh, it has been hiked to Rs 75 lakh.
For assembly elections, the revised poll expenditure limit for candidates will now be Rs 40 lakh for the big states, up from Rs 28 lakh, while candidates in smaller states can now spend a maximum of Rs 28 lakh instead of Rs 20 lakh.
The EC had set up a committee to review the expenditure limits in view of rise in cost inflation index between 2014, when it was last revised, and 2021. The committee recommended a 12 -42 per cent rise in the limits for Lok Sabha and assembly polls keeping in mind that number of electors had gone up from 834 million in 2014 to 936 million in 2021. Also, the cost inflation index had risen from 240 to 317 over the seven-year period.
The new expenditure limits for assembly polls, revised in view of the rise in cost inflation index and the size of the electorate, will be applicable to the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.
Sources told TOI that while the Lok Sabha poll expenditure limit for bigger states, which was Rs 70 lakh as per last revision done in 2014 and was increased to Rs 77 lakh in an ad-hoc arrangement during Covid, has been raised to Rs 95 lakh. For the smaller states, where the limit was Rs 54 lakh, it has been hiked to Rs 75 lakh.
For assembly elections, the revised poll expenditure limit for candidates will now be Rs 40 lakh for the big states, up from Rs 28 lakh, while candidates in smaller states can now spend a maximum of Rs 28 lakh instead of Rs 20 lakh.
The EC had set up a committee to review the expenditure limits in view of rise in cost inflation index between 2014, when it was last revised, and 2021. The committee recommended a 12 -42 per cent rise in the limits for Lok Sabha and assembly polls keeping in mind that number of electors had gone up from 834 million in 2014 to 936 million in 2021. Also, the cost inflation index had risen from 240 to 317 over the seven-year period.
