Haryana: Election expenditure of Panchayat bodies increased

The Haryana State Election Commission has increased the election expenditure limit of the candidates of various Panchayat bodies.
As per the new guidelines, the expenditure limit for panch (member of gram panchayat) has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000, State Election Commissioner Dalip Singh said in an official release here today.
Similarly, the expenditure limit for sarpanch of gram panchayat (up to 15 wards) -- Rs 30,000 at present -- and for those more than 15 wards -- Rs 50,000 at present -- has been increased to Rs 1.50 lakh.
The expenditure limit for member of panchayat samiti has been increased from Rs one lakh to Rs three lakh, and that of member of zila parishad has been increased from Rs two lakh to Rs five lakh.

"Every contesting candidate would, either by himself or through his authorised election agent, keep a separate and correct account of all expenditure in connection with these elections between the date he has been nominated and the date of declaration of result, both days inclusive," said Singh.
This account would be maintained and submitted to the authorised officer within a period of 30 days from the declaration of the election result.
"If any contesting candidate fails to lodge his/her election expenditure within the timeframe, he/she would be declared to be disqualified for a period of three years," he said.