<p>This was the most expensive Lok Sabha elections entailing a cost of Rs 3426 crore to the national exchequer, a substantial jump of 131 per cent over the expenses incurred in 2009.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the last Lok Sabha polls five years back, the cost to the exchequer was Rs 1483.<br />The official expenses are part of the whopping Rs 30,000 crore that were projected to be spent by the government, political parties and candidates in the nine-phased polls.<br /><br />The Election Commission attributed the jump in official expenses to inflation besides a series of measures undertaken to increase voting figures for the substantial rise in poll expenditure.<br /><br />Several political parties have jumped into electoral fray and even the number of Independents contesting polls have increased. The more the candidates the more the expenditure.<br /><br />Voter awareness campaigns, distribution of voter slip ahead of election date, use of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail for the first time in these polls pushed the expenditure further.<br />According to the Election Commission, the cost of conducting the general elections had already witnessed a 20-fold increase in 2009 as against the first polls held in 1952.<br />In 1952, the cost was 60 paise per elector which became Rs 12 in 2009.<br /><br />Considering expenditure in absolute terms, Rs 10.45 crore was spent in 1952, while Rs 1483 crore was the amount government spent for 2009 polls.</p>
<p>This was the most expensive Lok Sabha elections entailing a cost of Rs 3426 crore to the national exchequer, a substantial jump of 131 per cent over the expenses incurred in 2009.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the last Lok Sabha polls five years back, the cost to the exchequer was Rs 1483.<br />The official expenses are part of the whopping Rs 30,000 crore that were projected to be spent by the government, political parties and candidates in the nine-phased polls.<br /><br />The Election Commission attributed the jump in official expenses to inflation besides a series of measures undertaken to increase voting figures for the substantial rise in poll expenditure.<br /><br />Several political parties have jumped into electoral fray and even the number of Independents contesting polls have increased. The more the candidates the more the expenditure.<br /><br />Voter awareness campaigns, distribution of voter slip ahead of election date, use of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail for the first time in these polls pushed the expenditure further.<br />According to the Election Commission, the cost of conducting the general elections had already witnessed a 20-fold increase in 2009 as against the first polls held in 1952.<br />In 1952, the cost was 60 paise per elector which became Rs 12 in 2009.<br /><br />Considering expenditure in absolute terms, Rs 10.45 crore was spent in 1952, while Rs 1483 crore was the amount government spent for 2009 polls.</p>