Shiv Sena urges ECI to hike poll expenditure limit

Mumbai: With the assembly elections in Maharashtra drawing closer, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to raise the poll expenditure limit per candidate from the existing Rs 28 lakh to Rs 70 lakh.The demand raised by the Sena was supported by its partner the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), and also by Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai made the representation to the ECI during the meeting of public representatives here with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra.The poll panel is in Mumbai to review the preparedness for the elections, due in October.The resolution stated that the election expenditure limit for each candidate should be increased to Rs 70 lakh from the existing Rs 28 lakh.Desai said the ECI has informed that polls will be held through EVMs and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in a free and fair manner.