The Hindu Business Line : Centre will have to fork out Rs 1,162 cr for polls

THE forthcoming elections to the 14th Lok Sabha will cost the taxpayer an extra Rs 818.38 crore during 2004-04, which is over and above the `normal' allocation of Rs 343.12 crore that would have been made even in the absence of these polls. This is despite the move to hold both Parliament and Assembly polls simultaneously in some States.

According to the Finance Ministry's Expenditure Budget for 2004-05, the total spending from the exchequer in the conduct of elections would be Rs 1,161.50 crore, of which Rs 818.38 crore is specifically earmarked for the coming general elections, Rs 231.62 crore is for `normal' election expenses, Rs 100 crore is for issue of identity cards to voters and Rs 11.50 crore is for meeting the establishment costs of the Election Commission.

The Rs 231.62 crore and Rs 100 crore sums are the monies that the Centre would reimburse to the States and the Union Territories the expenses borne by them in the conduct of Assembly elections (including preparing and printing of electoral rolls, etc) and issuance of photo-identity cards to voters, respectively.

As against this, the Centre's total election-related expenditure during the current fiscal is expected at only Rs 461 crore. This includes normal election expenses of Rs 435 crore, Rs 15 crore for issuing voter identity cards and Rs 11 crore towards meeting the EC's establishment expenses.

Significantly, the normal election expenditure for 2004-05 (Rs 231.62 crore) is slated to be much lower than corresponding provision of Rs 461 crore for the current fiscal.

"The reason for this is the decision to have simultaneous polls to both the Parliament and Assembly is some States such as Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. This will bring down costs and various overheads, which would have been higher if the Assembly elections were held after the Lok Sabha polls," officials pointed out.

But on the other hand, the Centre will have to fork out an extra Rs 85 crore for issuing identity cards to voters because the Election Commission mandates that all Indian citizens who have attained the age of 18 before or on January 1, 2004 are eligible to vote in the coming elections.

All the new voters across the whole country will have to be issued identity cards prior to the general election. According to Section 14 (b) of the Representation of People's Act, 1950, the qualifying date of 18 years refers to the first day of January of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.