Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Expenditure: It is on its way to become the most expensive election in the country and the world. According to estimates, this time more than Rs 1.2 lakh crore may be spent. According to the Center for Media Studies, which monitors political expenditure in the country, about Rs 1.2 lakh crore was spent in the 2020 presidential elections in America. In this sense, this is going to be the most expensive election in the world. In the general elections of the year 2019, Rs 60 thousand crores including declared and unannounced were spent. This means the expenditure will be double this time.
The surprising thing is that the Election Commission has set a maximum expenditure limit of Rs 95 lakh for a candidate. Whereas the average expenditure of a candidate for 20 days of campaign is around Rs 6 crore. That means the remaining money is spent by political parties or unknown sources.
Highest expenditure on advertising and promotion
According to the parties’ annual audit report, BJP spent Rs 2000 crore on campaigning during 2015-2020. This was 54.87 percent of the party’s total election expenditure. Congress spent Rs 560 crore (40.08 percent). BJP’s travel expenses were 15.29 percent and financial assistance to candidates was 11.25 percent. About Rs 260 (7.2 percent) crores were spent on morchas, rallies and movements. At the same time, Congress spent Rs 250 crore (17.47 percent) on travels.
Expenditure on aircraft and helicopter will also increase
The demand for special planes and helicopters is likely to increase by 40 percent compared to the last election. The fare for a special flight can range from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 5.25 lakh/hour. For helicopter it will be Rs 1.5 lakh/hour. According to the audit of 2019-20, the ruling BJP spent Rs 250 crore on these. Had spent more than.
