The Gujarat government is planning to allocate a total of Rs 472.59 crore for the general election scheduled for later this year. This figure includes Rs 159 crore that was set aside in the 2023–24 state budget, with an additional Rs 313.59 crore expected to be allocated in the 2024–25 budget.
The budget session of the Gujarat assembly, which is due to start on February 1, will see these funds being used for various election-related expenses. These include personnel engaged in election duties, logistics, vehicles, as well as the establishment and management of booths and polling stations.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has requested Rs 313.59 crore, which is expected to be included in the upcoming 2024–25 budget. This means that a total of Rs 472.59 crore will be spent on the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
It is standard practice for the office of the state CEO to request a special provisional budget for each assembly and general election. The final expenditure, which usually exceeds the provisional allotment, is calculated by the office of the CEO after each election.
In the 2022 assembly election, the state government had allocated Rs 387 crore in the budget, but the actual expenditure was around Rs 450 crore. Similarly, for the 2017 assembly election, a provision of Rs 250 crore was made, but the actual spending was Rs 326 crore. In 2012, a sum of Rs 175 crore was allocated for the elections, but the actual cost was more than the allotted sum.
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