In UT, expenditure limit for candidates up by 39%

Chandigarh: The expenditure limit for candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections has been decided by the Chandigarh state election commission. It has also released the rate list for different items, goods and services, which in comparison from previous Lok Sabha elections are 10% to 100% higher this time.Each candidate can spend up to Rs 75 lakh, a significant increase of about 39% from the previous limit of Rs 54 lakh. The commission has also revised the rates for food, flower bouquets, speech desks, and loudspeakers.The rate list includes prescribed rates for daily hiring charges of furniture and fixture items, light, sound and other related services. These also include food items, stationery, hiring charges for vehicles, hotel rooms, charges for accommodation for setting up party office (monthly basis), felicitation and decoration materials, community hall, banquet expenses and printing/dissemination items and services.The price of barfi per kg has increased from Rs 280 in 2019 to Rs 350, while the cost of a deluxe hotel room is Rs 3,000, which was 2019 Rs 2,400 last time. The rate of a semi-deluxe room has gone up from Rs 2,070 to Rs 2,200.Similarly, two-wheelers’ rate has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 600 and four-wheelers from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,600. Open tent rate has been hiked from Rs 1.24 per sq ft to Rs 2 per sq ft. Cap rate has been fixed at Rs 52, which was Rs 20 previously.The fixed rates for items include tea at Rs 10, a plate of food at Rs 80, boondi laddu at Rs 200 per kg, cashews at Rs 1,400 per kg, and chole bhature at Rs 50 per plate. For langar events, the cost per plate for curry-rice, puri-sabzi, or gram will be Rs 50, and gram flour barfi will be Rs 280 per kg. The cost of a flower bouquet has been doubled from Rs 200 to Rs 400.The rate for banquets is Rs 5,000 for a small hall and Rs 10,000 for a larger one.Additionally, GST will be included in the election expenses as per govt guidelines. Meanwhile, a centralised “permission cell” is now operational at estate office building in Sector 17, which would streamline the process of obtaining approvals for various events, involving nodal officers from key authorities. The media certification and monitoring committee has also been made operational.Chandigarh: The expenditure limit for candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections has been decided by the Chandigarh state election commission. It has also released the rate list for different items, goods and services, which in comparison from previous Lok Sabha elections are 10% to 100% higher this time.Each candidate can spend up to Rs 75 lakh, a significant increase of about 39% from the previous limit of Rs 54 lakh. The commission has also revised the rates for food, flower bouquets, speech desks, and loudspeakers.The rate list includes prescribed rates for daily hiring charges of furniture and fixture items, light, sound and other related services. These also include food items, stationery, hiring charges for vehicles, hotel rooms, charges for accommodation for setting up party office (monthly basis), felicitation and decoration materials, community hall, banquet expenses and printing/dissemination items and services.The price of barfi per kg has increased from Rs 280 in 2019 to Rs 350, while the cost of a deluxe hotel room is Rs 3,000, which was 2019 Rs 2,400 last time. The rate of a semi-deluxe room has gone up from Rs 2,070 to Rs 2,200.Similarly, two-wheelers’ rate has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 600 and four-wheelers from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,600. Open tent rate has been hiked from Rs 1.24 per sq ft to Rs 2 per sq ft. Cap rate has been fixed at Rs 52, which was Rs 20 previously.The fixed rates for items include tea at Rs 10, a plate of food at Rs 80, boondi laddu at Rs 200 per kg, cashews at Rs 1,400 per kg, and chole bhature at Rs 50 per plate. For langar events, the cost per plate for curry-rice, puri-sabzi, or gram will be Rs 50, and gram flour barfi will be Rs 280 per kg. The cost of a flower bouquet has been doubled from Rs 200 to Rs 400.The rate for banquets is Rs 5,000 for a small hall and Rs 10,000 for a larger one.Additionally, GST will be included in the election expenses as per govt guidelines. Meanwhile, a centralised “permission cell” is now operational at estate office building in Sector 17, which would streamline the process of obtaining approvals for various events, involving nodal officers from key authorities. The media certification and monitoring committee has also been made operational.