The maximum amount that a Presidential candidate can spend per registered voter in the 2024 Presidential election has been stipulated by a Gazette that has been issued on August 16, 2024.
An Extraordinary Gazette has been published under Section 3 of the Election Expenditure Regulation Act No. 3 of 2023, stating the expenditure limit to be spent on behalf of a voter by a candidate contesting for the Presidential election.
Accordingly, the Election Commission has set the maximum amount of Rs. 109.00 that a Presidential candidate can spend per voter for their election campaigning during the 2024 Presidential polls.
According to the new regulations, each candidate is now allowed to spend a maximum of Rs.1.8 billion (Rs.1,868,298,586.00) on behalf of all the voters.
The new election campaign expenditure laws which were passed in 2023 with the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act No. 3 aim to hold candidates and their supporters accountable for the election campaign spending and the 2024 Presidential election will be the first test of these expenditure regulations.
The Election Commission stated that these expenditure limits have been decided in consultation with all recognised political party Presidential candidates, other political party candidates and candidates where a registered voter submitted their nominations for the Presidential election.
However, according to the law stipulated in the gazette, a Presidential candidate is permitted to directly spend only 60 percent of this amount which is approximately Rs.1.1 billion (Rs. 1,120,979,151.60) for the campaign. The remaining 40 percent (Rs.747,319,434.40) is allocated to be spent for the campaign by the Presidential candidate’s nominating recognised political party Secretary, or Secretary of other political party or registered voter who nominated the candidate.
The Expenditure Report including election campaign expenses must be submitted to the Election Commission within 21 days after the announcement of the Presidential election results.
The preparation of the Expenditure report should include detailed information on how money was received for campaign expenses and how they were spent, the Election Commission stated.
The expenditure report should also confirm whether or not the expenses incurred on advertisements, leaflets, flags, cutouts, posters, pictures, banners as well as on radio or television advertisements and programmes, social media, digital boards or any digital media as well as the provision of fuel for vehicles have been paid. Information whether payments were made or not, if paid, the bills, if not paid the name, National Identification Card Number and address of the person who provided the service should be also included.
However, the relevant expenditure report shall not include the expenditure incurred by the Presidential candidate for transportation and stationery, telephone charges or any other form of communication.
The Election Commission has further indicated in its Gazette notification that any candidate who violates these laws commits an offense under the Presidential Act No. 15 of 1981 and is subject to the penalties stated in the Act.
The post Maximum Rs. 109 stipulated for candidates to spend by EC appeared first on DailyNews.