After enhancing the spending limit for candidates during panchayat elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) has increased the poll expenditure limit for Councillors, Corporators, Chairpersons and Mayors of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi held a discussion with senior officials of SEC and has taken this decision.
Now, a candidate for the post of Corporator and Mayor in three municipal Corporations, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Brahmapur can spend a maximum Rs 2 lakh and Rs 12 lakh, respectively.
The expenditure limit for candidates for Councillor and Chairperson in municipalities having a population above 1 lakh is set at Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively.
For a municipality having a population between 50,000 to 1 lakh, the expenditure limit is Rs 75,000 and Rs 3 lakh for the candidates standing for Councillor and Chairperson, respectively.
The candidates for Councillor and Chairperson in NACs/Municipalities having a population up to 50,000 can now spend up to Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh, respectively.
The SEC is taking steps to conduct the elections to ULBs soon after the panchayat polls are over. It has convened a meeting with all political parties on February 10 to ensure smooth conduct of the urban polls.
The delimitation of wards, reservation seats and all other formalities required to conduct the ULB elections have already been completed. The draft electoral roll will also be out on February 10.
The SEC is very likely to announce the schedule for the ULB elections after holding meeting with political