Delhi Polls 2025: Rs 6 For A Pen To Rs 6,150 An Elephant, Check EC’s Budget For Candidates

The Election Commission (EC) has released a detailed price list for the Delhi Assembly elections. This list sets spending limits for campaign expenses, ensuring fairness among candidates. The maximum expenditure for Assembly candidates is Rs 40 lakh, while Lok Sabha candidates can spend up to Rs 95 lakh. This rate card includes costs from pens at Rs 6 each to hiring elephants for roadshows at Rs 6,150 per day.

Wage rates for campaign staff vary, with unskilled workers earning Rs 692 and graduates receiving Rs 913. Food items at campaign events have capped prices, such as Rs 35 for chole-kulche and Rs 70 for a full meal plate. The EC also regulates costs for campaign materials, accommodations, and transport.

Regulated Campaign Costs

The EC's rate card covers various items and services like wages, food, campaign materials, rental rates for public meetings, and technology use including drones and display screens. Specific rates are set for garlands, headgear, and even the broom symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Candidates must adhere to this rate card by presenting expense accounts three times during the election period. They must also submit a comprehensive expenditure statement within 30 days after the election. The EC monitors compliance through video recordings of campaign events.

Ensuring Fairness in Elections

Proof of purchase is required if items are claimed to be bought at rates different from those prescribed. Violations of these rules may result in the cancellation of a candidate's nomination. This highlights the EC's dedication to maintaining transparency in election spending.