Funds Allocated to Law Ministry and EC for EVMs, Polls

The Interim Budget has earmarked Rs 385.67 crore for the Election Commission to conduct elections in the current fiscal year. The funds are crucial as Lok Sabha elections are expected this summer. This allocation highlights the financial support allocated for the smooth conduct of polls.

New Delhi:The Election Commission has been granted Rs 385.67 crore for conducting elections this fiscal, according to documents provided after the presentation of the Interim Budget on Thursday. Lok Sabha elections are due this summer and could be announced sometime in March.

The Law Ministry M has been provided Rs 2,502.30 crore this fiscal and Rs 34.84 crore in 2024-25 for the procurement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the poll panel. The sum is meant for providing funds to the Election Commission for procurement of Ballot Units, Control Units and Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Units by the Election Commission and ancillary expenditure on EVMs and destruction of obsolete EVMs.

One control unit, at least one ballot unit and one VVPAT unit make up for one EVM. An Expert Committee oversees the destruction of old EVMs. An EVM has an average shelf life of 15 years. The poll authority has also been provided Rs 306.06 crore for elections under budget 2024-25. The legislative department under the law ministry is the nodal agency for issues related to the EC, elections and electoral laws.