MCD polls to cost Rs 50 crore, 70,000 staff put on job
NEW DELHI: Arrangements to organize the municipal elections slated for April 15 are going to be a costly affair. The Delhi State Election Commission (SEC) estimates that the mega exercise is likely to cost around Rs 50 crore.
As per the rule book, the bill for these arrangements to ensure a smooth election -- which the Commission calls "unavoidable" -- will be paid from the non-plan funds of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Delhi State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta on Monday set an expenditure limit of Rs four lakh on campaigning for candidates. However, the Commission's expenditure on arranging the civic polls is expected to be around Rs 50 crore. Mehta admits that the costs involved are high but claims they are unavoidable.
Elaborating on the sheer size of the exercise, the SEC operating out of the Nigam Bhawan near Kashmere Gate is going to roll out elections across the capital aided by a staff of nearly 70,000 employees drawn from various districts and departments to ensure that all 13,000-odd polling booths are well regulated and security arrangements are in order.
For transportation the Commission will be hiring cars, buses and trucks.
"The Commission has the herculean task of arranging transportation and food for the staff and officials engaged in making the election possible. The municipal polls require 13,000 electronic voting machines but SEC is engaging 16,000 to ensure that there are extra EVMs on standby," Mehta added.
The Commission also has some 100 forms and booklets such as the code of conduct, handbook for presiding officers and returning officers that have to be printed in thousands to cater to all polling booths. According to Mehta, police deployment on poll day and on the day of counting forms a major component of the total expenditure.
Already, the hectic pace of activity is evident at Nigam Bhawan where staff is busy working at a frenetic pace to meet deadlines and cater to requirements of all polling booths and counting stations.
On Tuesday, the SEC issued an order laying out the rules for the issue of symbols to political parties and independent candidates.
Source: Times of India
NEW DELHI: Arrangements to organize the municipal elections slated for April 15 are going to be a costly affair. The Delhi State Election Commission (SEC) estimates that the mega exercise is likely to cost around Rs 50 crore.
As per the rule book, the bill for these arrangements to ensure a smooth election -- which the Commission calls "unavoidable" -- will be paid from the non-plan funds of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Delhi State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta on Monday set an expenditure limit of Rs four lakh on campaigning for candidates. However, the Commission's expenditure on arranging the civic polls is expected to be around Rs 50 crore. Mehta admits that the costs involved are high but claims they are unavoidable.
Elaborating on the sheer size of the exercise, the SEC operating out of the Nigam Bhawan near Kashmere Gate is going to roll out elections across the capital aided by a staff of nearly 70,000 employees drawn from various districts and departments to ensure that all 13,000-odd polling booths are well regulated and security arrangements are in order.
For transportation the Commission will be hiring cars, buses and trucks.
"The Commission has the herculean task of arranging transportation and food for the staff and officials engaged in making the election possible. The municipal polls require 13,000 electronic voting machines but SEC is engaging 16,000 to ensure that there are extra EVMs on standby," Mehta added.
The Commission also has some 100 forms and booklets such as the code of conduct, handbook for presiding officers and returning officers that have to be printed in thousands to cater to all polling booths. According to Mehta, police deployment on poll day and on the day of counting forms a major component of the total expenditure.
Already, the hectic pace of activity is evident at Nigam Bhawan where staff is busy working at a frenetic pace to meet deadlines and cater to requirements of all polling booths and counting stations.
On Tuesday, the SEC issued an order laying out the rules for the issue of symbols to political parties and independent candidates.
Source: Times of India
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