From Rs 25,000 in first polls to Rs 95 lakh now: What Lok Sabha candidates can ‘officially’ spend
With the general elections underway, among the Election Commission’s (EC) key responsibilities is monitoring poll expenditure, both by parties and individual candidates, through its own observers and state and Central enforcement agencies. While there is no cap on how much parties can spend, candidates are limited to Rs 95 lakh for Lok Sabha constituencies and Rs 40 lakh for Assembly seats. In some smaller states and Union Territories, the cap is Rs 75 lakh and Rs 28 lakh for the Lok Sabha and Assemblies, respectively.