Team Herald
PANJIM: Days after the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) ordered inquiry into the alleged exorbitant expenditure by the election machinery, the inquiry head Additional CEO Narayan Navti on Tuesday claimed that the election spending would be within the prescribed budgetary allocation of Rs 40 crore; however, the final details would be available in next six months.
Following the allegations of exorbitant expenditure by the election machineries during the polls, CEO Kunal, IAS, had constituted a five-member inquiry committee to probe into the accusations which went viral on social media. “The election process is still on and it will be complete only on March 15. However, it will take six months for a detailed expenditure audit. But, I can assure that the spending won’t cross the prescribed limit of Rs 40 crores,” Navti told media persons.
He said that CEO does not spend any fund, but provide the same to district collectors and police as per the estimates submitted by them, for day-to-day expenses and allowance.
“Apart from this, the spending on IT, purchases etc would be known only once the concerned agencies raise their bills,” Navti explained informing that all works were awarded in the tender format.
The Election Officer said that the maximum spending would be in case of VVPATs which almost 2500 were made available to the State. “Spending on VVPATs could be considered as miscellaneous expenditure, as the same was included in the estimate at the last moment by the EC,” he stated.
For the 2012 assembly election, the total expenditure was Rs 27 crore. For the 2017 elections, there have been allegations and media reporting that CEO spent a whopping Rs 57 crore. CEO sources claim that this year election expenditure is within Rs 35-38 crore.
