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AP LS polls to cost Rs 800 million

Shireen in Hyderabad

The mid-term elections to the Lok Sabha will cost the exchequer a massive Rs 800 million in Andhra Pradesh alone, according to official sources.

The state government has made a provision of Rs 456.60 million for holding the assembly elections, due before January 10, 2000, in the 1999-2000 budget.

However, the conduct of the mid-term Lok Sabha elections will entail an additional expenditure of Rs 500 million. The expenditure on the Lok Sabha polls including security arrangements will be reimbursed to the state government by the Centre. For the assembly polls, the entire expenditure will be borne by the state government, the officials point out.

The expenditure for the Lok Sabha elections in the state worked out to Rs 490.20 million in 1998 and Rs 453.30 million in 1996.

Besides, the police department incurred an expenditure of Rs 263.90 million in 1998 and Rs 259 million in 1996 for security arrangements including deployment of central forces.

The ensuing Lok Sabha elections will entail an expenditure of Rs 300 million by the police department. The state government has allocated Rs 181.90 million for security arrangements for the assembly polls, in the 1999-2000 budget.

A two-phased election may be held to the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. As many as 61,000 polling stations will be set up. The number of voters is likely to be around 51 million for the ensuing polls, since a comprehensive revision of electoral rolls is going on. As on date, 49 million voters are on the rolls in the state.

The authorities have taken up the revision of electoral rolls with January 1, 1999 as the qualifying date. Every citizen who has completed 18 years of age as on January 1, 1999, is eligible to be enrolled as an voter. The draft rolls were published on April 20. Special campaigns for receiving claims and objections were held on April 24 and 25 at the designated centres.

Similar campaigns will be held again on May 8. The disposal of claims and objections will be completed by June 21 and the final publication of rolls will take place on July 21.

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