EC restores higher limit of star campaigners
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has re-imposed the maximum limit for star campaigners.
The Election Commission has allowed the maximum number of star campaigners a party can nominate for campaigning in the ongoing elections in five states.
- This decision has been taken based on the decline in the cases of Kovid-19.
- Star campaigners are nominated by political parties. They campaign for certain constituencies for a specified period.
- The list of star campaigners should be compulsorily sent to the Chief Electoral Officer and the Election Commission of India under Section 17(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. This should be done within one week from the date of issue of notification of election.
- A recognized political party can have 40 star campaigners. 20 star campaigners are allowed in an unrecognized (but registered) political party.
- No law exists defining a star campaigner.
- Expenditure on campaigning by such notified star campaigners is exempted from being added to the election expenses of the candidate.
- However, this exemption is available only if a star campaigner restricts himself to a general campaign for the political party he is representing.
- If a candidate or his election agent shares the stage with a star campaigner at a rally, the entire expenditure of that rally is added to the election expenses of the candidate. The travel expenses of the star campaigner will not be included in this.
Source – The Hindu
