Samosa, tea to cost candidate Rs 15, paneer pakora Rs 20

Aman Sood

PATIALA, MARCH 24

With the Punjab elections on June 1, the candidates will have to sweat it out to manage their expenditure within the prescribed limit when it comes to woo voters.

As part of its poll expenditure monitoring process, the state poll panel has approved the rates for 201 items or services and candidates can’t show prices less than the mentioned to lower their expenditure limit, which cannot exceed more than Rs 95 lakh.

If any candidate wants to serve a cup of tea, coffee and lemon water, it will cost him Rs 15, a samosa Rs 15 with sauce and Rs 25 with ‘chana’. A paneer pakora, one of the items on menu in village poll events, will cost Rs 20 while rasgullas and gulab jamuns will cost Rs 150 per kg.

For high-profile candidates, who seldom like the scorching heat, the use of tower ACs on rally stages will cost Rs 2,500 per event in addition to the applicable taxes.

Similarly, a siropa, which is common in almost all poll-related events, will cost Rs 100 per piece, besides a garland Rs15. Besides, charges of furniture, tent house, light, sound and other paraphernalia have also been fixed. At least, Rs 3,000 will be added to the expenses of a candidate if he installs a 20×20 feet stage with a mike for a rally.

The Election Commission of India deploys senior Indian Revenue Service officers to monitor the poll expenditure so that the candidates don’t cross the limit, in addition to deputing teams to video record the events held by candidates. The rates were fixed recently by a committee of senior officers, on the directions of Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer.

CEC has fixed expenditure limit to Rs 95l

• The use of tower ACs on rally stages will cost Rs 2,500 per event in addition to the applicable taxes
• A siropa, which is common in almost all poll-related events, will cost Rs 100 per piece, besides a garland Rs 15
• At least, Rs 3,000 will be added to the expenses if a candidate installs a 20×20 feet stage with a mike
• The ECI deploys revenue officers to monitor expenditure of a candidate, which should not exceed Rs 95 lakh