MPs spend more near elections, says study

Spending extra funds before the election did not have a strong link with its outcome

Members of Parliament (MPs) elected in 2009 spent less funds from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) at the beginning of their term, gradually increasing their spending each year, with most spending in the last year before the 2014 general election, according to a study by Harry Blair, senior research scholar at Yale University, published in the Economic and Political Weekly this August. MPLADS provided Rs 2 crore every year to each MP between 2009 and 2011, and Rs 5 crore between 2011 and 2014. Any unspent amount which remained during a year is carried forward.

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