Election Commission constitutes committee to examine issues concerning expenditure limits

The Election Commission has constituted a committee to examine issues concerning campaign expenditure limits for a candidate in the view of an increase in the number of electors and a rise in the Cost Inflation Index . 

The committee will comprise two members- former IRS and DG (Investigation) Harish Kumar and Secretary-General and DG (Expenditure) Umesh Sinha.

This comes after the notification by the Union Ministry of Law & Justice on October 19, 2020. The notification notified an amendment in Rule 90 of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, increasing the existing election campaign expenditure limit by 10 percent with immediate effect in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. 

Key Highlights 

•The campaign expenditure limit for a candidate was last revised ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections through a notification dated February 28, 2014. 

•For two states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the campaign expenditure limit for a candidate was last revised through a notification dated October 10, 2018. 

•Besides this, there was no increase in the expenditure limit in the last 6 years despite an increase in the electorate from 834 million to 910 million in 2019 to 921 million presently. 

•The Cost Inflation Index has also increased during this period from 220 to 280 in 2019 to 301 presently. 

Committee's Terms of Reference:

•To assess the change in the number of electors across the states and union territories and its bearing on total campaign expenditure.

•To assess change in Cost Inflation Index and its impact on the expenditure pattern incurred by candidates during the recent elections.

•To seek inputs of the political parties and other stakeholders.

•To examine other factors that may have had an impact on expenditure.

•To examine any other related issue.

•The Committee will be required to submit its report within 120 days of its constitution.