Lok Sabha Question No. 1834 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-11
Subject: Expenditure limit for Elections
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar, Ravneet Singh

(a) :    Yes sir.

(b) :  The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed that a committee was formed  comprising  of  Shri  Harish  Kumar,  Retd.  IRS  Officer,  Shri  Umesh  Sinha, Secretary  General,  ECI,  Shri  Chandra  Bhushan  Kumar,  Senior  Deputy  Election Commissioner, ECI and DG (Expenditure) to study the cost factors and other related issues, and make suitable recommendations. The ECI has accepted the

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1834

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, 11 th   FEBRUARY, 2022

## EXPENDITURE LIMIT FOR ELECTIONS

## 1834. SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU: SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  there  has  been  a  recent  revision  in  the  expenditure  limits  for  the candidates of parliamentary and assembly elections in the country; (b) if so, the details thereof along with the consultation process, if any, followed for deciding the revised expenditure ceilings;

(c)  whether the Government has hiked the expenditure limit of candidates for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections, if so, the details thereof along with the time by when the above proposal is likely to be implemented;

(d) the details of the mechanism being employed to ensure that the spending by the various candidates are within the revised limits in various parliamentary and assembly elections; and

(e)  whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  other  steps  to  make  the  election process more transparent and fair in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

recommendations of the Committee and sent its recommendations to the Government .

(c) :  The Government vide its notification S.O. 72(E), dated the 6th January, 2022, enhanced  the  maximum  limit  of  candidates'  election  expenses  as  prescribed  under rule 90 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 and the same has been forwarded by the Commission to CEOs of all States/UTs with the request to bring it to the notice of all District Electoral Officers, Returning Officers, other election authorities concerned and political parties.

(d) and (e) :  The ECI has stated that they are seriously concerned about the menace of  Money  Power'  which  disturb  the  level  playing  field  in  elections.  The  ECI  has taken several steps to monitor the election expenses of the contesting candidates and issued  comprehensive  guidelines  in  the  past  and  updated  in  "Compendium  of Instructions on Election Expenditure Monitoring (October, 2021)' which is available on Commission's  website and also issued for  ongoing General Elections to Legislative Assemblies of 5 States of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. In order to keep election expenses within the ceiling prescribed by the law, (the  Conduct  of  Elections  Rules,  1961)  and  also  to  maintain  level  playing  field among candidates.  The ECI has directed to maintain the day-to-day account register in the prescribed manner and to get it inspected before the election authorities 3 times during election period. The ECI has prescribed the Shadow Observation Register to keep  records  of  major  expenses  of  the  candidates  by  the  election  authorities  and reporting thereof in case of discrepancy viz . under reporting of expenses etc. noticed by them to the candidates for corrective measures. The appointment of Expenditure Observers,  Assistant  Expenditure  Observers,  Video  Surveillance  Teams  &  Video Viewing Teams, Accounting Teams, Complaint Monitoring & Call Centre, Media Certification & Monitoring Committee on Paid News, deployment of Flying Squads and  Static  Surveillance  Teams  for  Election  Expenditure  Monitoring.  The  ECI  has also prescribed Standard Operating Procedure for Flying Squads and Static Surveillance Teams vide its Order no. 76/Instructions/EEPS/2015/Vol. dated 29.05.2015 to keep vigil over unaccounted money and also to keep vigil over money and other illicit items which may vitiate level playing field. The ECI has directed that Election  Expenditure  of  the  Candidates  shall  be  done  through  the  dedicated  bank account  opened  for  election  expenses  purpose  by  the  candidate  through  electronic mode in case amount exceeds Rs.10,000/-.

The ECI has requisitioned  the  services  of  various  enforcement  agencies viz . CBDT,  CBIC,  DGIT  (Inv.),  State  Excise  Department,  State  Police  Department, Narcotics  Control  Bureau,  DRI,  ED,  FIU-IND,  BCAS,  RPF,  Department  of  Post, BSF,  SSB,  ITBP,  Coast  Guard,  Assam  Rifles  to  facilitate  effective  monitoring  of election  expenditure.    Besides,  enforcement  of  Model  Code  of  Conduct  helps  to maintain level playing field on ground. The ECI has created IT tools like 'SUVIDHA' to facilitate permission for campaign on first-cum-first serve basis. Also, the ECI has directed the CEOs to make available facilities for campaign on an equitable basis. The ECI has doubled the allocated time for campaign on Door Darshan and AIR for all recognised parties.

The  ECI  has  been  taking  several  measures  to  prevent  money  power  in elections. It is mentioned that various monitoring mechanisms are put in place during election to monitor day-to-day election expenditure incurred by the candidate and to check influence of voters by distribution of cash, liquor, drugs etc.  General, Police & Expenditure observers, who are senior officers from the civil services are appointed to keep a watch on the entire election process.

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