THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If the State Election Commission (SEC) goes exactly by the rule books and cracks the whip on candidates engaging in lavish campaigns, almost everyone could end up flouting norms.
The ceiling of money a candidate can spend in a corporation ward is Rs 60,000. But in reality, it could be well between Rs 2 lakh and 5 lakh.
This will be Rs 30,000 and Rs 10,000 in municipalities and grama panchayats where expenses are not less.
Last revised in 2011, the amount was considered paltry even at the time it was revised.
However, with no political parties raising objections, senior officials say, the further revision was not a priority of the state government or the SEC.
CPM district leader Karamana Hari, an expert in organising campaigns, says the cost of public announcement using a vehicle will cost at least Rs 3,000 a day. Most parties use such vehicle at least for ten days during the one month campaign.
“Let’s talk about the basic leaflet one needs to print. The candidate’s appeal will cost over Rs 5,000. Then more party committee level leaflets are given. The LDF may issue a separate request. A massive sum will be needed for printing billboards, cutouts and posters. To install a stage for a public meeting alone will cost Rs 3,000 and apart from this are other expenses for devices and requirements of workers,” Mr Hari explains.
The campaign gets extravagant each time a state-level leader campaigns in the wards.
Every candidate gives a statement of the expenditure, failing which they get barred from contesting for five years.
“Interventions during the election are the best deterrence that prevent any violations,” SEC K. Sasidharan Nair said.
“Hence the focus will not be primarily on actions that can be taken after elections. We will surely intervene if we notice extravagant campaigning.”
