Chai for Rs 8, pakoras for Rs 200 per kg, UT fixes menu to sate parties’ hunger

CHANDIGARH: If it has to be chai and pakora at rallies for Lok Sabha elections, it better not exceed the cost set by the election department of the UT administration. Each and every cup of tea and coffee, a plate of snacks, a box of sweets and pakoras will be taken into account to monitor the financial expenditure of political parties.

From a cup of tea for Rs 8 to pakoras for Rs 200 per kg, the administration has fixed charges of 100 items. These also include stickers, T-shirts, flags and pamphlets apart from eatables.


Deputy commissioner-cum-additional chief electoral officer Mandip Singh Brar along with other officers of the election department had recently held meetings with representatives of all parties to discuss the rates. The parties at first disagreed with the rates, pointing out as they purchase items in bulk and get discount, the charges should be considered accordingly. The charges were revised after discussion and final rates fixed.

Harmail Kesri, a former youth Congress president who attended the meeting, said, “We had requested the election department that since items will be purchased in bulk for rally or public meetings at discount, bulk charges should be considered instead of retail prices. The department finally agreed to our request with the condition that the bills of the bulk purchase need to be submitted with the department.”

The department has constituted multiple videography and photographers’ teams and independent observers. They will go to functions, rallies, meetings of political parties and prepare the record of amount. When the parties will submit the bills and financial details of the expenditure to the election department, they will be tallied with the details of items against the rates decided.

Sources said to maintain the impartiality and transparency, the administration has roped in officers and employees of accounts and finance department for maintaining records of all eatables and other items.