Maximum expense of about Rs 67.31 Lakhs (96% of the expense limit) has been declared by Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava (MoS for Tribal Affairs) of BJP from Bharuch constituency, Gujarat followed by Uma Bharti of BJP from Jhansi constituency, Uttar Pradesh with an expense of Rs 59.64 lakhs (or 85% of the expense limit) and D.V. Sadananda Gowda of BJP from Bangalore North constituency, Karnataka with an expense of Rs 59.35 Lakhs (or 85% of the expense limit)
Ministers with lowest Election Expenses: Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati of TDP from Vizianagaram Constituency, Andhra Pradesh has declared an election expenditure of Rs. 4.10 lakhs (6% of the expense limit). He is followed by Kiren Rijiju of BJP from Arunachal West constituency, Arunachal Pradesh who has declared election expenditure of Rs. 13.70 lakhs (25% of the expense limit), Raj Nath Singh of BJP from Lucknow Constituency, Uttar Pradesh with election expenses of Rs. 17.76 lakhs (25% of the expense limit) and Dr. Jitendra Singh of BJP from Udhampur Constituency, Jammu and Kashmir with election expenses of Rs. 21.97 lakhs (31% of the expense limit).
National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analyzed the election expense statements submitted after the Lok Sabha Elections of 2014 for 537 MPs. The remaining expenditure statements of the rest of the MPs were not analysed due to the unavailability of the statements at the time of the making of this report. These election expense documents include details of expenses on public meeting and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, expense on campaign workers, expense on vehicles used and expense on campaign materials.
The expenditure limits for Lok Sabha elections were raised this year from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh for each Lok Sabha constituency in bigger states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka etc, and from Rs 22 lakh to Rs. 54 Lakhs in smaller states like Goa. This revision of election expenditure limits came after sustained efforts by the candidates contesting elections. However, upon analyzing the expenditure statements submitted by the MPs of the Lok Sabha 2014 elections to the ECI, it is seen that the MPs continue to declare election expenditure which is significantly lower than the expense limit.
Less than 50% of the Limit: Candidates have constantly claimed that the election expenditure limit set is very low. However, based on the election expense declarations of 537 MPs analysed from Lok Sabha, 2014 to the ECI, 176 MPs (33%) have declared election expenses of less than 50% of the expense limit in their constituency
Expenditure more than the Expense Limit: One MP declared election expenditure more than the prescribed expense limit. Gourav Gogoi of INC from Kaliabor Constituency, Assam declared an election expenditure of Rs. 82.40 Lakhs (118% of the expense limit)
Average Election Expenses: Based on the election expense declarations of 537 MPs from Lok Sabha 2014 to the ECI, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is only about Rs 40.33 lakhs, which is 58% of the expense limit.
Party-wise Average Election Expenses: The party wise average election expenses shows that the average spending for 277 MPs from BJP is Rs 41.81 lakhs (60% of the average expense limit), for 44 MPs from INC is Rs 41.63 lakhs (60% of the average expense limit), for 37 MPs from AIADMK is Rs 35.66 Lakhs (51% of the average expense limit) and for 34 MPs from AITC is Rs. 46.51 Lakhs (67% of the average expense limit).
Expense on Public Meeting, Rally, and Processions with Star Campaigners: Out of the 537 MPs analyzed, 108 (20%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on public meetings, processions etc with Star Campaigners.
Expense on Campaigning through electronic/print media: 108 (20%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on campaigning through electronic/print media.
Expense on Campaign Workers: 100 (19%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on campaign workers.
Expense on Vehicles used: 5 (1%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on Vehicles Used.
Expense on Campaign Materials.: 72 (13%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on Campaign Materials
Ministers with lowest Election Expenses: Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati of TDP from Vizianagaram Constituency, Andhra Pradesh has declared an election expenditure of Rs. 4.10 lakhs (6% of the expense limit). He is followed by Kiren Rijiju of BJP from Arunachal West constituency, Arunachal Pradesh who has declared election expenditure of Rs. 13.70 lakhs (25% of the expense limit), Raj Nath Singh of BJP from Lucknow Constituency, Uttar Pradesh with election expenses of Rs. 17.76 lakhs (25% of the expense limit) and Dr. Jitendra Singh of BJP from Udhampur Constituency, Jammu and Kashmir with election expenses of Rs. 21.97 lakhs (31% of the expense limit).
National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analyzed the election expense statements submitted after the Lok Sabha Elections of 2014 for 537 MPs. The remaining expenditure statements of the rest of the MPs were not analysed due to the unavailability of the statements at the time of the making of this report. These election expense documents include details of expenses on public meeting and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, expense on campaign workers, expense on vehicles used and expense on campaign materials.
The expenditure limits for Lok Sabha elections were raised this year from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh for each Lok Sabha constituency in bigger states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka etc, and from Rs 22 lakh to Rs. 54 Lakhs in smaller states like Goa. This revision of election expenditure limits came after sustained efforts by the candidates contesting elections. However, upon analyzing the expenditure statements submitted by the MPs of the Lok Sabha 2014 elections to the ECI, it is seen that the MPs continue to declare election expenditure which is significantly lower than the expense limit.
Less than 50% of the Limit: Candidates have constantly claimed that the election expenditure limit set is very low. However, based on the election expense declarations of 537 MPs analysed from Lok Sabha, 2014 to the ECI, 176 MPs (33%) have declared election expenses of less than 50% of the expense limit in their constituency
Expenditure more than the Expense Limit: One MP declared election expenditure more than the prescribed expense limit. Gourav Gogoi of INC from Kaliabor Constituency, Assam declared an election expenditure of Rs. 82.40 Lakhs (118% of the expense limit)
Average Election Expenses: Based on the election expense declarations of 537 MPs from Lok Sabha 2014 to the ECI, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is only about Rs 40.33 lakhs, which is 58% of the expense limit.
Party-wise Average Election Expenses: The party wise average election expenses shows that the average spending for 277 MPs from BJP is Rs 41.81 lakhs (60% of the average expense limit), for 44 MPs from INC is Rs 41.63 lakhs (60% of the average expense limit), for 37 MPs from AIADMK is Rs 35.66 Lakhs (51% of the average expense limit) and for 34 MPs from AITC is Rs. 46.51 Lakhs (67% of the average expense limit).
Expense on Public Meeting, Rally, and Processions with Star Campaigners: Out of the 537 MPs analyzed, 108 (20%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on public meetings, processions etc with Star Campaigners.
Expense on Campaigning through electronic/print media: 108 (20%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on campaigning through electronic/print media.
Expense on Campaign Workers: 100 (19%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on campaign workers.
Expense on Vehicles used: 5 (1%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on Vehicles Used.
Expense on Campaign Materials.: 72 (13%) MPs have declared that they have not spent ANY amount on Campaign Materials
