Centre hikes election expenditure limit by 60%

• The Central government has raised the election expenditure limit for both Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies by around 60 per cent with immediate effect. The spending limit for a Parliamentary constituency in major States, now stands at Rs. 40 lakh as against Rs. 25 lakh earlier. The limit for Assembly constituencies in the major States moves from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh.
• Poll expense limits are not uniform across the country and vary according to the size, demographics and other factors of the smaller States and Union Territories. Basically, the roughly 60 per cent hike has been applied to whatever were the existing limits in a State. The Union Territory of Puducherry, which also goes to the polls in the same period, will have limits of Rs. 33 lakh for a Parliamentary constituency and Rs. 8 lakh for an Assembly seat.