EC calls for ceiling on spending in council polls

The Election Commission has recommended a ceiling on expenditure by candidates in certain legislative council polls, a move aimed at checking the use of black money in elections. Presently, there is no cap on expenditure by candidates contesting legislative council polls.

The government has, however, said political parties and the seven states with legislative council should be consulted before amending laws to put in place a ceiling on expenditure. Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana have legislative councils.

The poll watchdog has told the law ministry that the provision for maintaining and lodging of election expenses be extended to all contesting candidates of local authorities’, graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies in legislative council polls. It also said that the expenditure limit for these category of elections could be half of the limit for Assembly elections in these states.

At present, the expenditure limit for candidates in Assembly elections is set at `28 lakh in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, UP, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It would mean that once the amendments are made in the Representation of the People Act, the expenditure ceiling of candidates contesting legislative council elections in these states would be `14 lakh.

Responding to the proposal, the law ministry has advised that it would be better to seek the views of political parties and states where legislative councils are functioning before moving ahead.

Most of the members of the legislative councils are elected through five different constituencies.