Ninety per cent of Puducherry MLAs have declared their election expenses to be less than 50 per cent of the prescribed limit, according to a recent study conducted by Puducherry Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms.

The Puducherry Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed the expenditure statements submitted by 30 MLAs after the 2016 Assembly Elections. The expenditure limit for a candidate was Rs. 20 lakh.

True copy of expenses

According to Section 78 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, contesting candidates have to file a true copy of his election expenditure within 30 days from the date of declaration of the election results with the District Election Officer.

The election expense includes details of money spent on public meeting and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, on campaign workers, vehicles and campaign material.

P. Joseph Victor Raj State Co-ordinator, Puducherry Election Watch, said though most of the candidates had been claiming that the election expenditure limit set was very low, 27 MLAs, as per the report, declared that their election expenses was less than 50 per cent of the limit.

The average amount of money spent by them in the elections is only about Rs 5.12 lakh, 26 per cent of the expense limit.

Party-wise expenditure

Party-wise average expenditure of 15 MLAs from Congress is Rs 5.48 lakh (27 per cent of the expense limit), of eight MLAs from All India N. R. Congress it is Rs. 4.38 lakh (22 per cent), of 4 AIADMK MLAs, Rs 3.52 lakh (18 per cent), and of 2 DMK MLAs, Rs 7.25 lakh (36 per cent).

A. Geetha of the DMK from the Neravy T.R. Pattinam constituency has declared the maximum expenditure of about Rs. 10.36 lakh (52 per cent), followed by R.Kamalakannan of Congresss from the Thirunallar constituency with an expenditure of Rs 10.17 lakh (51 per cent) and P.R.N. Thirumurugan of All India N.R. Congress from the Karaikal North constituency with an expenditure of Rs. 10.13 lakh (or 51 per cent).

A. Baskar of AIADMK from Mudaliarpet constituency has declared an election expenditure of Rs. 1.95 lakh, followed by A. Anbalagan of AIADMK from the Oupalam constituency (Rs. 2.14 lakh) and N.S.J. Jayabal Alias Ayyanar of the All India N.R. Congress from Kadirgamam constituency (Rs. 2.17 lakh).

Of the 30 MLAs, 12 (40 per cent) legislators declared that they have not spent any amount on public meetings, processions with star campaigners, while 17 (57 per cent) of MLAs declared that they had not spent any amount on campaigning through the electronic/print media.

Zero expenses

N. Rangasamy of All India N.R. Congress from the Indira Nagar constituency has declared that he had not used any of his funds for his election campaign.

Five Ministers have declared election expenses of less than 50 per cent of the expense limit. The average amount of money spent by them is about Rs 5.62 lakh, which is 28 per cent of the expense limit.

Election expenses include money spent on public meeting and campaigning through the media