The two-phase Gujarat Assembly elections is likely to cost the state exchequer Rs 450 crore. The chief electoral officer will monitor the expenditure under the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI). As per the norms, the state’s chief electoral officer makes a requisition for a special provisional budget prior to each Assembly and general elections. The chief electoral officer determines the final expenditure figure that usually exceeds the provisional allotment.
The state government allocated Rs 387 crore in the annual budget for 2022–23 for election expenses based on costs estimated by the chief electoral officer for the 2022 Assembly elections. The 2017 Assembly elections were supposed to cost Rs 250 crore, but the actual expenses were Rs 326 crore. Similar to this, in 2012, Rs 175 crore were estimated, but the actual expenses exceeded the estimated amount.
Expenses could go up due to the increase in the cost of remuneration to the election staff, increased logistics and vehicles costs, increased number of booths and polling stations. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP showed official expenditure of Rs 111 crore, while the Congress showed expenditure of Rs 18.47 crore.
Also Read: Call Centre Racket Busted, 13 Arrested In Ahmedabad
