Jaipur: On Monday, the political parties made a series of suggestions in a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Rajasthan. The discussion included various demands like an increase in the poll expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh for each candidate, poll expenses to be borne by the government, an increase in the time of voting and permission of free hoardings. The parties raised concerns regarding high costs of advertising to highlight criminal records of candidates.According to an election department official, all parties decided to submit a joint memorandum of suggestions to the Election Commission of India (ECI).CEO, Anand Kumar made light of Congress representative Sushil Sharma's suggestion to increase the expenditure limit of each candidate from Rs 70 lakh and said: "When the upper limit was Rs. 28 lakh during the assembly elections, the candidates did not declare Rs. 10 lakh as their total expenditure." He further stressed that the expenditure limit of each candidate must be further decreased from Rs. 70 lakh.The left parties suggested a decrease in the expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh. Sushil Sharma of Congress suggested that the political parties may be allowed to put up free hoardings for election campaigning at some places. On this, the CEO said that it is not possible give to the existing rules of corporation or local bodies.He suggested that to ensure free and fair elections, the government should bear the poll expenditure of parties. “Such decisions could only be taken at the level of the ECI and the rules have to be amended in the Act”, said, CEO.The representatives of the left parties said that during the campaign, high costs are involved in advertising criminal records of candidates in widely-circulated newspapers and popular TV channels which become unbearable. They appealed to the election department to consider it to reduce the costs involved. They also suggested if the commission may consider, the advertising of criminal records may be allowed in small or less-circulated newspapers.CEO, Anand Kumar said this is a Supreme Court order and the Commission can't do much about it.BJP's Nahar Singh said that for the transportation of publicity material, the number of vehicles should be increased. He said that during the poll season materials sent through private transport are also seized by the district magistrate. They wanted to know under which regulation the publicity material was being seized.On their request, Kumar said, the suggestions of the political parties would be sent to the ECI. "No political raised objections to the EVMs and VVPATs. The CEO also asked the political parties to seek permission for public rallies/public gathering on time. He also asked them to sensitise their booth level agents so that they could get more eligible voters to enrol themselves," said the official.

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