The Eection Commission is engaged in calculating the expenses incurred by the candidates in the first phase of Assembly election concluded recently in Bastar. In the three Assembly seats in the district, Congress candidates were far ahead of others in electioneering.
The Commission will monitor the expenses of candidates even after one month of the counting. The amount spent by them during the period would be added in their election expenses. The commission has fixed a limit of Rs 16 lakh to each candidate to spend in electioneering. The Commission has calculated the expenses of candidates up to the polling, in which, the account of amount spent by party candidates and independent candidates has been sought.
In the work, the Commission is facing difficulties in calculating expenses incurred by candidates under different heads. The members of the Commission have to maintain separate account of expenses incurred in magic, dance and helicopter to tea, paan, light refreshment, gamcha and flag. So far, the Commission could not calculate the expenses on helicopter.
In the election, BJP candidate Rajesh Bafna had spent Rs 5.93 lakh, whereas, the Congress’ Samu Kashyap spent Rs 6 lakh. CPI candidate Naseem Qureshi spent Rs 72,600, Rajaram Thodem of Swabhiman Manch and Vinay Shirvastava of National Peoples’ Party has spent Rs 1,26,664 and Rs 1,27,180 respectively. Congress candidate lakheshwar Baghel of Bastar Assembly constituency has spend Rs 6,93,379 and Dr Sabhau Kashyap spent Rs 3,63,744.
In the Assembly election, the candidates have spent lakhs of rupees in campaigning and other works, whereas, some candidates fought the election without spending any amount. However, they have submitted zero expenses account to the Commission. In the election spending Congress candidate from Bastar assembly constituency lakheshwar Baghel is far ahead of all others and Samu Kashyap of the same party is next to him. Highest number of 14 candidates was in the poll arena in Jagadalpur constituency. Bastar constituency had seven and Chitrakot six candidates.