Noman Mosharef :
The Election Commission (EC) has finalized the budget amounting to Tk 910 crore for the fifth upazila election to be held on March 10, 18, 24, 31 and on June 18. In 2014 upazila election, the total cost was Tk 400 crore.
The EC Secretariat sources disclosed that an amount of Tk 740 crore is for the election management and law enforcers agencies. For regulating Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and related training, Tk 170 crore has been sanctioned. More than half of Tk 740 crore will be spent for the law enforcing agencies. The remaining amount will be spent for managing the election.
Talking to the EC officials Secretariat sources said that in the 2014 election, Presiding, Assistant Presiding and Polling Officers were paid Tk three thousand, Tk two thousand and Tk one thousand respectively. This time the amount will be Tk four thousand, Tk three thousand and Tk two thousand. Besides, the price of the election materials has also increased. Because of this, the election expenditure has increased.
Tk 764 crore has been paid for the 11th parliamentary election. Of these, Tk 428 crore was spent for law enforcement agencies. The EC Secretariat sources said that the total expenditure could increase further.
