Poll expenses for candidates capped at Rs. 40 lakh: DC

Mysore/Mysuru: Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Dr. K.V. Rajendra has said that ‘There is a provision for every candidate contesting the election to spend up to Rs. 40 lakh and they should maintain the account of their  expenditure.’

Addressing a training workshop for representatives of various political parties organised at Senate Bhavan in Manasagangothri here yesterday, he said that “Expenditure Observers will verify the expenditure for three times. Nine Expenditure Observers have been deputed for 11 Assembly Constituencies in the district. General Observers and Police Observers are also deployed in the district.”

Before filing nomination, the candidates should have opened account in a nationalised bank. The payments above Rs. 10,000 should be done either through cheque, Google Pay linked to the same account. The expenses from the date of filing nomination till the results will be calculated. If the candidates fail to submit the details related to expenditure within 30 days of conclusion of election, such candidates will be ineligible to contest any election for three years, warned DC Dr. Rajendra.

Either the candidate or political party, the donation should be accepted through bank account. No individual can be paid above Rs. 10,000 in cash, during the complete poll process, said DC.

If candidates want to spend the amount from their own account, they should transfer the amount to the account opened for the purpose of election, clarified the DC.

All the Expenditure Observers will be available at Kabini Guest House in Administrative Training Institute (ATI) on Lalitha Mahal Road. The information related to poll expenses are available in English and efforts will be made to provide the information in Kannada too. The Form-7A (publication of list of candidates) is in final stages and the candidates in the fray will be allotted serial numbers, added Dr. Rajendra.

Expenditure Observers, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kavitha Rajaram and representatives of various political parties were present at the training workshop.