Additional Funds for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

With just months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the government is seeking Parliament’s approval for an additional Rs 3,147.92 crore expenditure, bringing the total proposed spending on the polls to over Rs 5,000 crore.

Finance Minister’s Proposal

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first batch of supplementary demand for grants for 2023-2024 in the Lok Sabha on December 6. The total additional expenditure sought is Rs 1.29 lakh crore. Within this, Rs 3,147.92 crore is proposed for the Law Ministry to cover election-related expenses, and Rs 73.67 crore for the Election Commission’s administrative costs.

Breakdown of Law Ministry Expenditure

As per the supplementary demand for grants, the Law Ministry’s proposed spending includes Rs 2,536.65 crore for clearing the government’s share liability towards election-related expenses, Rs 36.20 crore for testing and maintaining EVMs for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and Rs 575.07 crore for procuring EVMs for the same.

Total Proposed Expenditure

If approved by Parliament, the additional funds would supplement the amount allocated to the Law Ministry in the Budget Estimates for 2023-2024 (Rs 2,183.78 crore). The combined total proposed expenditure on the Lok Sabha elections would then stand at Rs 5,331.7 crore.

Budget Allocation in February

In the Union Budget presented in February, the government had earmarked Rs 1,891.78 crore for EVMs, Rs 180 crore for “Lok Sabha elections,” Rs 18 crore for voter ID cards, and Rs 94 crore for other election expenses.

Past Expenditure on Elections and EVMs

According to previous Budget documents, the actual expenditure on elections and EVMs in 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 amounted to a total of Rs 8,656.41 crore. Comparatively, the expenses for the 2014, 2009, and 2004 elections were Rs 3,870.34 crore, Rs 1,114.38 crore, and Rs 1,016.08 crore, respectively, as per government data provided in the Rajya Sabha on July 4, 2019.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2023

Category: India Nation & States Current Affairs