Rs 10,000 cr to be spent on Lok Sabha polls: CMS

New Delhi, Feb 27: A huge amount of Rs 10,000 crore will be spent on the coming Lok Sabha polls this summer of which, one fourth of the amount (Rs 2,000-2,500 crore) will be on voters, says a survey by Centre for Media Studies (CMS). The huge expenditure is equivalent to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) received in 1995-96.

The official spending will include only 20 per cent of the total expenses, of which, Rs 1,300 crore will be by the Election Commission, and the rest by political parties in campaigning, says the survey.

Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh states top the list of purchase votes. Half of voters there likely to be paid 'cash for vote' about 24 hours before the election day, said the election expenditure survey by CMS.

The Election Commission is likely to spend Rs 1,300 crore, while state governments and other government agencies will be spending around Rs 700 crore for purposes like photo identity cards, EVMs and polling booth.

OneIndia News