The Election Commission has been granted Tk 2.10 billion to meet the cost of conducting the Jan 5 polls and maintaining law and order.
The expenditure has come down by more than half the projected amount as candidates in 153 constituencies, out of 300, have been elected uncontested, said officials at the Election Commission.Of the Tk 2.10 billion, Tk 1.44 billion will be spent on maintaining law and order while Tk 0.66 billion will be used in conducting the polls.
The EC officials said though so far Tk 2.10 billion had been sanctioned for the election purpose, the amount could be finally increased by Tk 50 to 60 million if further demands for ballot papers or enhancing security came from certain constituencies.
The Election Commission had initially estimated around Tk 6 billion for conducting the polls and maintaining law and order.
It had later placed a revised estimate.
The Election Commission had not allocated money to any force, except the armed forces, as per their demand.
The home ministry, armed forces, coast guard, BGB and Ansar-VDP had asked for nearly Tk 2.88 billion ahead of the Jan 5 polls.
Of the amount, the Election Commission has granted only Tk 1.44 billion for them.
The officials at the Election Commission said Tk 410 million had been granted for the police against their demand for roughly Tk 1.47 billion.
The home ministry has been allotted Tk 0.3 million against its demand of Tk 0.1 million. The Coast Guard has been allocated Tk 0.8 million against its demand of Tk 6.6 million.
The BGB has been given Tk 45.9 million though it asked for Tk 138.9 million. Tk 443.4 million has been sanctioned for the Ansar-VDP against their demand of Tk 718.7 million.
But the Election Commission granted Tk 542.6 million to the armed forces as per their demand.
Senior Secretary at the Budget Section of the Election Commission Enamul Hoque said Tk 660 million had been allocated for conducting the polls.-bdnews24.com
