The Election Commission (EC) has officially announced the expenditure limits for candidates contesting the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5.
To ensure a level playing field, the EC has categorized the country's electoral constituencies into five distinct groups, setting spending ceilings ranging from Rs 2.5 million to Rs 3.3 million based on geographical size and logistics.
Categorization of spending limits
The EC has allocated the 165 constituencies into the following groups:
Group A (Limit: Rs 2.5 million): This group includes five constituencies within Kathmandu, specifically Kathmandu-1, 3, 6, 7, and 8. These areas have the lowest ceiling due to their high population density and smaller geographical area.
Group B (Limit: Rs 2.7 million): This category includes 17 electoral constituencies.
Group C (Limit: Rs 2.9 million): The largest share of constituencies (54) falls under this group.
Group D (Limit: Rs 3.1 million): This group consists of 48 electoral constituencies.
Group E (Limit: Rs 3.3 million): The highest spending limit is reserved for 26 constituencies located in remote and geographically challenging regions, where the cost of campaigning is significantly higher.
Strict monitoring
The EC has emphasized that these limits are mandatory. Candidates will be required to submit their expenditure reports following the conclusion of the election. Any candidate found exceeding these limits or failing to provide transparent financial records may face legal action as per the prevailing election laws.
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