EC gets Tk2406cr allocation for election year against its demand of Tk5,485cr

The Election Commission (EC) has been allocated a budget of Tk2,406 crore for the next fiscal year when it is set to conduct the 12th national election as well as some other polls. The budgetary allocation, however, is 43.86% short of the commission's initial demand.

The EC had sought an allocation of Tk5,485 crore for FY24 so that it can conduct elections smoothly. Of the amount, it wanted Tk3,954 crore for the organisation of the parliamentary polls, sixth upazila parishad elections and various other local government elections, and Tk1,260 crore to repair its collected 1.1 lakh outdated electronic voting machines.

The latest allocation is 56.33% higher than Tk1,539 crore of FY23, according to budget documents.

Talking to The Business Standard EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said he was not aware of allocation for them immediately. "The budget has not yet been finalised, and it remains at the proposal stage. With constructive discussions, many changes in the budget can come," he added.

"In our demanded budget, there was not only election management, but many other things were added. We initially planned to arrange the national election with EVMs which could cost a big amount, but we backtracked on the decision." Jahangir Alam said.

The EC secretary further said that even if the final allocated budget falls short, the EC can rely on the support of the finance ministry.

"In the past, the ministry has demonstrated its commitment to facilitating elections by promptly providing additional funds when necessary. This flexibility allows the EC to effectively manage unforeseen circumstances and ensure that the electoral process remains robust and inclusive."