"I don't spend more than Rs 10 lakh as my own election expense," Banerjee told a seminar on 'Electoral Reforms' here.She said that election expenditure in West Bengal was less than other states. "It is the cheapest."

Favouring holding of Assembly and Parliamentary polls simultaneously, she said this would save time and money.Banerjee said she would like the Election Commission to have independent infrastructure and be financially self-sufficient.

The Trinamool chief called for stringent action against misuse of election machinery and flouting of EC instructions. "I want the EC to ensure that people can vote in West Bengal without fear."

Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who spoke on electoral reforms, said there was a tactical problem in holding Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.
"There should be a debate on this," Mukherjee said.