<p>For all the noise and dust political parties raised in Karnataka during the election, their candidates have claimed modesty in poll expenditure, with none coming close to the Rs 70-lakh limit set by the Election Commission.</p>.<p>Pundits have, time and again, expressed surprise over the expenditure details that candidates show, because it is common knowledge that cash flows like water during elections. Sample this: seizure of cash, liquor and other goodies jumped 134% this election from the 2014 polls.</p>.<p>According to the publicly available poll expenditure details that <span class="italic">DH</span> analysed, BJP’s Y Devendrappa claimed to have spent only Rs 4.64 lakh and Congress’ V S Ugrappa Rs 6.58 lakh during their campaign in the Bellary Lok Sabha segment. The highest expenditure was incurred by Congress’ D R Patil in the Haveri LS segment at Rs 59.8 lakh.</p>.<p>Even in the high-profile Mandya constituency, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil spent Rs 39 lakh and his opponent Sumalatha (independent) spent Rs 33 lakh.</p>.<p>“The expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh won’t be enough for even fuel and breakfast,” political analyst S Mahadeva Prakash said. “What candidates show as expenditure is bogus.”</p>.<p>Election laws require candidates to maintain a day-to-day account of their campaign expenses. These details are to be made public.</p>.<p>Many candidates have now been issued notices for ‘understating’ their expenditure. This includes H D Deve Gowda, who has shown an expenditure of Rs 36 lakh whereas the shadow observation register (SOR) maintained by the Election Commission has recorded Rs 56 lakh.</p>.<p>Even Sumalatha has been issued a notice for ‘understating’ her expenditure, Mandya DC P C Jaffer said. “The SOR is something that we have to track expenses of candidates as we know or find it. There will be disputes most of the time,” he said.</p>.<p>The highest ‘understating’ of expenditure has been seen in the Bagalkot Lok Sabha segment where BJP’s P C Gaddigoudar is seen to have spent Rs 69 lakh against his claim of Rs 26 lakh.</p>
<p>For all the noise and dust political parties raised in Karnataka during the election, their candidates have claimed modesty in poll expenditure, with none coming close to the Rs 70-lakh limit set by the Election Commission.</p>.<p>Pundits have, time and again, expressed surprise over the expenditure details that candidates show, because it is common knowledge that cash flows like water during elections. Sample this: seizure of cash, liquor and other goodies jumped 134% this election from the 2014 polls.</p>.<p>According to the publicly available poll expenditure details that <span class="italic">DH</span> analysed, BJP’s Y Devendrappa claimed to have spent only Rs 4.64 lakh and Congress’ V S Ugrappa Rs 6.58 lakh during their campaign in the Bellary Lok Sabha segment. The highest expenditure was incurred by Congress’ D R Patil in the Haveri LS segment at Rs 59.8 lakh.</p>.<p>Even in the high-profile Mandya constituency, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil spent Rs 39 lakh and his opponent Sumalatha (independent) spent Rs 33 lakh.</p>.<p>“The expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh won’t be enough for even fuel and breakfast,” political analyst S Mahadeva Prakash said. “What candidates show as expenditure is bogus.”</p>.<p>Election laws require candidates to maintain a day-to-day account of their campaign expenses. These details are to be made public.</p>.<p>Many candidates have now been issued notices for ‘understating’ their expenditure. This includes H D Deve Gowda, who has shown an expenditure of Rs 36 lakh whereas the shadow observation register (SOR) maintained by the Election Commission has recorded Rs 56 lakh.</p>.<p>Even Sumalatha has been issued a notice for ‘understating’ her expenditure, Mandya DC P C Jaffer said. “The SOR is something that we have to track expenses of candidates as we know or find it. There will be disputes most of the time,” he said.</p>.<p>The highest ‘understating’ of expenditure has been seen in the Bagalkot Lok Sabha segment where BJP’s P C Gaddigoudar is seen to have spent Rs 69 lakh against his claim of Rs 26 lakh.</p>
