The matter of simultaneous polls is with the Law Commission for further examination to work out a practicable roadmap and framework for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
The entire expenditure on conduct of elections to Lok Sabha is to be borne by the Central government and such expenditure on the conduct of election to the state legislatures is borne by the respective state governments when such elections are held independently.
In case the elections are held simultaneously, the expenditure is borne by the concerned state governments and the Central government on a 50:50 ratio basis.
The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on simultaneous elections in its 79th report has observed that frequent elections lead to disruptions of public life and impact the functioning of essential services.
The standing committee had examined the issue of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies Assemblies in consultation with the various stake-holders, including the Election Commission of India. As per the government officials, the committee made certain recommendations in this regard in its 79th report and the matter now stands referred to the Law Commission for further examination to work out a practicable roadmap and framework for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
Officials said that the issues of electoral reform are a continuous and ongoing process that involves a major policy decision in consultation with all stakeholders and the same are considered and implemented through various amendment Acts from time to time.
Funds released to the states/Union Territories (In Rs crore)
2014-15: Rs 510 cr
2015-16: Rs 1,490.16 cr
2016-17: Rs 356.14 cr
2017-18: Rs 1,199.85 cr
2018-19: Rs 886.11 cr
2019-20: Rs 1,372.03 cr
2020-21: Rs 60.87 cr
2021-22: Rs 1,556.86 cr
“The Court has set July 27 for final hearing of the case. The Collector in his petition cited that notice issued by the court to Election Commission of India is wrong and approached the Court to withdraw its order. In its short hearing today, the Court has given us time to reply on the petition. While arguing in favour of State government, the Advocate General appealed to the court not to entertain the root petition as petitioner does not belong to CM's constituency,” SC lawyer Narender Hooda arguing in favour of the complainant, Subhas Mohapatra.
To a question that the root petition was considered belated as it was filed in 2016 and listed in 2017 while the election was held in 2014, the lawyer said the day when a fraud was detected, the case generally begins from that day. “When a disappeared murder accused is identified five years after the crime, it doesn’t mean that action would not be initiated against him,” Hooda cited.
On the other hand, BJP intensified its attack against BJD by approaching State Election Commission to scrap Assembly membership of Chief Minister Naveen for allegedly misusing government machineries over alleged irregularities in party's poll fund expenditure.
The delegation which submitted a memorandum to SEC addressed to the Election Commission of India alleged that State Government considered the case against Hinjili MLA Naveen Patnaik as a case against CM and used the government machinery accordingly in the case. Demanding a three-year restriction on Patnaik from contesting poll, the saffron team also sought stern action against him after inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of funds under Representation of the People Act.
On the other hand BJD came forward in rescue of the party chief. "The losers can't bring such allegation against the Chief Minister. The bank account in question neither belongs to BJD nor its supremo Naveen Patnaik. It is SBI's own account-10091805573," BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said.
"Crores of rupees from in and outside the State have come to BJD account from unknown sources. The money mostly came from chit fund companies. We urged the Income Tax commissioner to take the matter to Central Board of Director (Tax)," BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty said.
The saffron party's move came a day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik rubbished such allegations as “malicious, fabricated and false” and said legal steps may be taken in the matter if necessary.
“The allegations are malicious, fabricated and false. If necessary, we will take legal action,” Patnaik told reporters yesterday. To a question on whether the allegation was part of a conspiracy, he said it appears to be like that.
On the other hand BJD countered the saffron and Congress party by charging them with similar allegation.
"About Rs 5,000 crore has been transferred to BJP and Congress bank accounts from different unknown sources in last ten years. All transactions of BJD were made in a transparent manner through banks. The charge brought by the BJP is just a political vendetta," BJD spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Deb said.
“The SBI statement clearly showed that the cheques of MP Ramachandra Hansda and CM Naveen Patnaik are different. The BJP and its spokesperson who moved media with false information, will be served legal notice. The channel which telecast the news on fake data will also face legal action as it tried to malign the CM’s image,” Deb added.
The alleged irregularities came to fore after a report regarding the poll expenditure of BJD was telecast on a national news channel.
Though the poll expenditure limits are applicable to the candidates, it is not applicable to star campaigners of various parties. Through this loophole, parties in the State are splurging crores to woo voters leaving the watchdog SEC as a mute spectator.
From February 4, the Odisha BJP’s star campaigners began their campaigning by hopping on to helicopters to hop panchayats. Union minister Jual Oram, BJP legislature party leader KV Singhdeo, actress Pinki Pradhan and actor Sritam Das have taken whirlwind visits to 12 places in 2 days.
On February 7, Union Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan joined the campaigning spree by visiting various places on helicopter. From tomorrow onwards, another star campaigner of the party, Chhattisgarh CM, Raman Singh will begin his campaigning and will be flying over the Western Odisha.
Similar logistic arrangements have been made for Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das who will also campaign in the State.
As per estimates, the party is spending around Rs 40 lakh every day for such arrangements for their star campaigners and is expected to do so till campaigning ends.
“The party should ask itself about whose money it is using extravagantly for campaigning,” said BJD spokesperson, Sashibhushan Behera.
On the other hand, the Odisha Congress has alleged that both the BJD and BJP are spending a lot of money in campaigning.
Also Read: Panchayat elections: Poll code goes for a toss in Odisha
The party alleged that while Odisha CM flew to every district on government money before the model code of conduct came into force, now the star campaigners are undertaking expensive campaigning.
“The way CM Naveen toured across Odisha on government money, similarly now union ministers and BJP leaders are doing the same,” said senior Congress leader, Sarat Rout.
In reply to such allegations, senior BJP leader, Manmohan Samal said “Our party will never cross the line. In a bid to escape, others are raising fingers at our party.”
There are no limits for star campaigners. However, there are restrictions on how many vehicles can be used by candidates and district party presidents. The collectors have been informed about the fact that the expenditures of the star campaigners will be borne by the party accounts,” said SEC secretary, Rabindranath Sahoo.
“The Commission has called an all-party meeting at 4 PM tomorrow to discuss about the preparation and management of panchayat polls,” Rabindranath Sahu, secretary, SEC, told media persons here this afternoon.
Issues relating to poll itinerary, filing of nominations, poll expenditure and use of vehicles during election and election code of conduct would be discussed threadbare at the meeting, he added.
Sources said that the Commission is mostly likely announce the date of election in a couple of days.
As announced by the Commission, elections will be held in 853 Zilla Parishads and 92,045 wards of 6804 Panchayats.
Notably, the state government has created 594 new Panchayats who will participate in the elections next year.
It may be mentioned that the SEC had called the all-party meeting on December 21. But it had to defer the date as the BJP boycotted the meeting as it had given Bhubaneswar bandh call on that day demanding resignation of Bhubaneswar Mayor Anant Narayan Jena in connection with the death of Asutosh Mohanty alias Rishi.
Besides, the Congress had also boycotted the meeting on the same issue.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: "According to Centre for Media Studies, the BJP spent over Rs 28,000 crore (or 45 per cent) of the Rs 60,000 crore spent by all political parties in total during the polls."
The amount the BJP spent during the Lok Sabha polls is about one third of the country's education budget, 43 per cent of the health budget, 10 per cent of the defence budget and about 45 per cent of the MGNREGA budget, he said.
"Even the amount of Rs 24,000 crore spent by the BJP government over the Namami Gange project is less than the election expenditure of the BJP," Singhvi said.
The Congress leader said this is an issue about fairness during elections and giving equal opportunities to everyone.
He said democracy is a part of our core structure which is dependent on free and fair elections.
"This is possible only by providing a level playing field and only if political parties are given equal opportunities," the Congress leader said.
Demanding answers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its electoral expenditure, Singhvi said: "They (BJP) must explain the source of their money. They should explain whether it's white or black money as they spent such a huge amount after demonetisation."
Firing salvos at the BJP, Singhvi questioned: "Did the maximum amount of the said amount come from electoral bonds?"
Singhvi's remarks came after a Delhi-based think tank in it's report claimed that the BJP was the biggest spender in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, accounting for 45-50 per cent of the nearly Rs 60,000 crore spent.
The report also said that the Congress spent about 15-20 per cent of Rs 60,000 crore during the elections.