Two candidates exceeded expenditure limit in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, three spent least: ADR report

Fifty-six Lok Sabha members elected in 2019 have declared election expenses less than 50 per cent of the prescribed limit, an organisation working in the field of electoral reforms said on Friday.

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), it analysed the election expenditure statements of 538 out of 543 MPs who won the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

There are two MPs who have exceeded the expense limit, the ADR said in a statement. National Conference's Hasnain Masoodi from Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir exceeded the expense limit by Rs 9, 27,920.

BJP's Ravindra Shyamnarayan Shukla alias Ravi Kishan from Gorakhpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh exceeded the expense limit by Rs.7,95,916, it said.

The election expenditure limit per candidate for the general election is Rs 70 lakh for big states and Rs 54 lakh for smaller states.

These election expense documents include details of expenses on public meetings and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, expense on campaign workers, expense on vehicles used and expense on campaign materials.

It also noted that three MPs -- BJP's Kiren Rijiju, YSRCP's Goddeti Madhavi and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha's Indra Hang Subba -- had the lowest election expenditure.

Rijiju spent over Rs 14 lakh, while his expenditure limit was Rs 54 lakh.

Madhavi too spent over Rs 14 in campaigning while the expenditure limit for candidates in Andhra Pradesh is Rs 70 lakh.

Subba spent over Rs 7 lakh while his expenditure limit was Rs 54 lakh.

Based on the election expense declarations of 538 MPs, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is Rs 50.84 lakh, which is 73 per cent of the expense limit, the statement noted.

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