Election Commission cap flies in face of reality

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the State Election Commission fixing unrealistic expenditure limit for local bodies, the candidates in most wards spend on an average two to five times more than the cap.

The SEC has set the expenditure limit for each ward as follows: grama panchayat - Rs 10,000, block panchayat - Rs 30,000, district panchayat - Rs 60,000, municipality - Rs 30,000 and corporation - Rs 60,000.

A reality check done by DC found that the amount fixed was grossly inadequate to meet the expenses especially in view of the cost escalation of propaganda material.

Sources said that candidates normally spent anywhere between Rs 2 lakh and 5 lakh for each corporation ward against the permitted Rs 60,000.

Sources said the cost for a single public announcement vehicle per day is around Rs 3,000, printing cost of leaflets Rs 5,000 and a single stage for public meeting costs Rs 3,000.

Some candidates told DC in Thrissur that for a ward with 5,000 voters, a candidate might require Rs 3 lakh. In panchayat division, it is not less than Rs 50,000.

"We have got complaints on violations but these are not serious," said K. S. Deepa, an official monitoring expenses.

In Ernakulam district, most of the candidates of major political parties have crossed the limit. "Cost of publicity and propaganda material is too high, we cannot meet (them) with the existing limit," said former Kochi mayor K. J. Sohan.

Only Aam Aadmi Party has announced that campaign expense of their candidates will be strictly as per the norms of the Election Commission.

"More funds are needed for transportation to reach out to voters in rural and hilly terrain. The election commission should raise the cap," urged CPM Kozhikode district secretary P. Mohanan.

"The cost of printing has gone up many times. If we don't use flex, then we need people to write banners. They have to be paid reasonably," said Peenikott Meethal Amol, a Congress candidate in Keezhariyur grama panchayat.

"The candidates are raising the resources themselves," said Kozhikode DCC president Tomy Kallany. "We are using minimum flexes and propaganda material. We have to spend within the permitted limit," said M. P. Santhosh Kumar, a candidate in Kottayam municipality.

"We have already crossed the limit fixed by the EC and five more days are left," said an independent candidate in Ettumanur municipality.

Notwithstanding the EC cap, many candidates in municipalities in Alappuzha are spending somewhere between Rs 5 and 15 lakh.

Each wall writing and graffiti requires Rs1,500-4,000. Each squad member could get paid Rs 500-1,000 a day apart from food. At least 10 members will be part of the squad.