JALANDHAR
On the directions of the Election Commission of India(ECI), the members of a state-level committee held detailed discussions on fixing the rates of 201 items for the calculation of expenditure on the election campaign by the candidates.
The Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal who presided over a meeting along with ADC (UD) Jasbir Singh, ADC (Hoshiarpur) Rahul Chaba, ADC (SBS Nagar) Rajiv Verma, and officials from Kapurthala district, said that to keep a tab on money spent on the election campaign material, a list of material and vehicles used in the electioneering was prepared by the election office.
He said that keeping in view the market rates, the list of items was prepared so that the expenditure by the candidates could be calculated easily.
He said that the candidates contesting the elections had to maintain a record of their expenditure on the items mentioned in the list and submit it to the returning officers.
Sarangal told the officials to ensure that the rates of the items must not be more than 10 % of the market rates.
He said that the list of unanimously approved rates would be submitted to the divisional commissioner who is chairman of the state-level committee.
A total of 201 items include food and beverage materials including coffee, tea, biscuit, bread Pakoda, sweets, samosa, kachori, milk, mathi, ladoo, pakode, paneer pakoda, soft drink, mineral water, simple roti thali, parontha, etc, wages of drivers, hiring of singer, DJs, decoration material, rent of marriage palace, printing of campaigning material/services, stationery items, rent of AC, furniture items, light and sound services, vehicles including auto, bus, car, cab, minibus, van, rickshaws, hotel rooms and other materials/services are part of the list.