In a bid to curb the influence of money and muscle power in the upcoming Jharkhand Municipal Elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) has introduced stringent monitoring mechanisms. Candidates aiming to win solely on the strength of their wealth are now under the direct radar of the commission. Every candidate is now required to submit their daily election expenditure report to the concerned authorities, ensuring full transparency.

Zero Tolerance Policy: SEC Secretary’s Warning Radheshyam Prasad, Secretary of the State Election Commission, emphasized that conducting a free and fair election is the commission’s top priority. To facilitate this, General and Expenditure Observers have been deployed across all 48 urban local bodies. A dedicated control room has been established in every district to monitor the ground activities of candidates and their supporters. Any illegal activity or violation of the Model Code of Conduct will invite immediate and severe penalties, potentially leading to disqualification.

Revised Spending Limits and Guidelines The commission has set specific expenditure caps based on the population of the municipal areas:

• Populations above 10 Lakhs: Mayoral/Presidential candidates have a ceiling of ₹25 Lakhs, while ward councilors can spend up to ₹5 Lakhs.
• Populations below 10 Lakhs: The limit is ₹15 Lakhs for mayoral posts and ₹3 Lakhs for ward councilors.

Candidates must open a separate bank account exclusively for election-related transactions. They are also mandated to record and submit their daily expenses at the local municipal office. The commission’s heightened alertness stems from a past incident where the polls had to be postponed due to a massive illegal cash transaction involving a candidate. This time, with fixed rates for every promotional material and constant surveillance, the SEC aims to prevent any such malpractice.