In a significant move ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the Maharashtra State Election Commission has increased the average spending limit for candidates contesting municipal and nagar panchayat polls. Depending on the size of the civic body, the expenditure limit now ranges from ₹2 lakh to ₹15 lakh. Announcing the decision, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said that polls for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats will be held on December 2, while counting will take place on December 3. A total of 86,859 members and 288 chairpersons will be elected across the state.
Explaining the new guidelines, the Election Commissioner stated that the revised expenditure ceilings aim to bring greater transparency and fairness in campaign financing. For A-class municipal councils, candidates contesting for member positions can spend up to ₹5 lakh, while those contesting for chairperson posts can spend a maximum of ₹15 lakh. The changes reflect the growing cost of campaigning and logistical challenges in larger municipalities, where competition tends to be more intense.
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In B-class municipal councils, the expenditure limits have been set slightly lower to reflect smaller jurisdictions. Candidates running for member posts can spend up to ₹3.5 lakh, while those contesting for chairperson positions can spend ₹11.25 lakh. Similarly, for C-class councils, the limits are capped at ₹2.5 lakh for member candidates and ₹7.5 lakh for chairperson candidates. The Commission clarified that these revisions were made after reviewing field reports and previous election experiences.
For nagar panchayats, which serve smaller urban regions, the Commission has fixed a maximum expenditure of ₹6 lakh for chairperson candidates and ₹2.25 lakh for member candidates. Officials said the revised limits aim to curb excessive spending while giving all candidates a fair opportunity to reach voters. The Election Commission added that strict monitoring mechanisms would be in place to ensure adherence to the prescribed spending norms during the upcoming civic elections.