Highlights of Election Expenses of MLAs from the Assam Assembly 2016 Elections:

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August 8, 2016 Leave a comment Edit

Press Release

Dear Friends,

According to Section 78 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, every contesting candidate has to lodge a true copy of his election expenses within 30 days from the date of declaration of result of election, with the District Election Officer in all States and Union Territories. 

Assam Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analyzed the election expenditure statements submitted after the Assam 2016 Assembly Elections for 126 MLAs. The expenditure limit for the candidates during the Assam Assembly elections was Rs. 28 lakhs. Please find below a detailed analysis: 

Summary and Highlights of Election Expenses of MLAs from the Assam Assembly 2016 Elections:

1.      Less than 50% of the Limit: Candidates have constantly claimed that the election expenditure limit set is very low. However, based on the election expense declarations of all 126 MLAs analysed from the 2016 Assam Assembly elections, 65 MLAs (52%) have declared election expenses,

less than 50% of the expense limit in their constituency.

2.      Average Election Expenses: Based on the election expense declarations of 126MLAs from Assam Assembly, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is only about Rs 14.78 lakhs, which is 53% of the expense limit.

3.      Party-wise Average Election Expenses: The party wise average election expenses shows that the average spending for 60 MLAsfrom BJP is Rs 15.11 lakhs (54% of theexpense limit), for 26 MLAs from INC is Rs 16.98 lakhs (61% of the expense limit), for14 MLAs from Asom Gana Parishad is Rs 14.04 Lakhs (50% of the expense limit), for 13 MLAs from AIUDF is Rs 10.24 Lakhs (37% of the expense limit), and for 12 MLAs from Bodoland Pepoles Front is Rs 14.75 Lakhs (53% of the expense limit).

4.     Top 3 MLAs with highest Election Expenses: The maximum expense of aboutRs 27.29 lakhs (97% of the expense limit) has been declared by Nandita Das of INCfrom Boko(SC) constituency followed by Rekibuddin Ahmed of INC from Chaygaonconstituency with an expense of Rs 26.47 lakhs (or 95% of the expense limit) and Utpal Borah of BJP from Gohpur constituency with an expense of Rs 25.88lakhs (or 92% of the expense limit).

5.      MLAs with lowest Election Expenses: Nijanur Rahman of AIUDF fromGauripur constituency has declared election expenditure of Rs. 3.81 lakhs followed byAnanta Kumar Malo of AIUDF from Abhayapuri South(SC) Constituency with election expenses of Rs. 4.80 lakhs and Suzamuddin Laskar of AIUDF Party from Katlichera Constituency with election expenses of Rs. 5.11 lakhs.

                    6.  Percentage Breakdown of Funds Received by MLAs:

Summary and Highlights of Election Expenses of Ministers from the Assam Assembly, 2016

1.       Less than 50% of the Limit: Based on the election expense declarations of all 11 Ministers analysed from Assam Assembly 2016, 3 Ministers (27%) have declared election expenses of less than 50% of the expense limit in their constituency.

2.       Average Election Expenses: Based on the election expense declarations of all 11 Ministers from Assam Assembly 2016, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is only about Rs 17.33 lakhs, which is 62% of the expense limit.

3.       Top 3 Ministers with highest Election Expenses: The maximum expense of about Rs 25.26 Lakhs (90% of the expense limit) has been declared by Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP from Majuli(ST) constituency followed by Atul Bora of Asom Gana Parishad from Bokakhatconstituency with an expense of Rs 22.44 lakhs (or 80% of the expense limit) and Himanta Biswa Sarma of BJP from Jalukbari constituencywith an expense of Rs 22.09 Lakhs (or 79% of the expense limit)

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Ministers with lowest Election Expenses: Rihon Daimari of Bodoland Peoples Front from Udalguri (ST) Constituency has declared an election expenditure of Rs. 10.75 lakhs (38% of the expense limit). He is followed by Sri Parimal Suklabadya of BJP from Dholai (SC)constituency who has declared election expenditure of Rs. 11.25 lakhs (40% of the expense limit), and Pallab Lochan Das of BJP from Rangapara  Constituency with election expenses of Rs. 13.08 lakhs (47% of the expense limit).

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Percentage Breakdown of funds received by Ministers:

Media and Journalist Helpline +91 80103 94248 Email:adr@adrindia.org

Maj.Gen. Anil Verma (Retd) Head National Election Watch, Association for Democratic Reforms 011 4165 4200, +91 88264 79910 adr@adrIndia.org, anilverma@adrindia.org

Prof Jagdeep Chhokar IIM Ahmedabad (Retd.) Founder Member, National Election Watch, Association for Democratic Reforms +91 99996 20944 jchhokar@gmail.com

Prof Trilochan Sastry IIM Bangalore Founder Member, National Election Watch, Association for Democratic Reforms +91 94483 53285 trilochans@iimb.ernet.in

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