Two BJP MLAs exceed poll expenditure limit, shows ADR analysis

Ahmedabad : The average expenditure by 182 elected MLAs during recently concluded Gujarat Assembly Elections stands at 16.45 lakh per candidate, which is 59 per cent of the total permissible limit of Rs 28 lakh per candidate.

According to recently revealed ADR analysis, only two Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs were found exceeding the limit. Rajendrasinh Chavda from Himmatnagar and Mansukh Dindor from Santrampur incurred an expenditure of 121 per cent and 103 per cent respectively.

In the latest revealed data, only 30 per cent MLAs declared expenses less than 50 per cent of the total permissible limit.

The analysis reveals that the average spending by 99 MLAs of the BJP was Rs 17.34 lakh (62% of the limit). However, the average election expenditure of 77 MLAs from the Congress, was Rs 15.99 lakh each (57.1% of the limit).

A senior election official told DNA that election expenses submitted by the MLAs are still being scrutinised.

"The scrutiny of documents is going on. The analysis is based on the abstract expenditure statement of the MLAs, and the expenses figures could change after the scrutiny," said an official.

Bharatji Thakor, Congress MLA from Becharaji seat, declared election expenditure of Rs3.81 lakh, the second lowest among all candidates.