Election Spending Capped at Tk 10 Per Voter; Deposit Increased
The Ministry of Law has issued an ordinance to amend the Representation of the People Order (RPO) following policy approval from the Advisory Council. According to the new ordinance, a Member of Parliament candidate can spend a maximum of Tk 10 per voter in their constituency.
The Ministry of Law published the gazette for the ordinance on Monday (November 3rd).
Key Amendments Related to Finance and Transparency
• Article 44 (Election Expenditure): This article has been revised to include political parties in the rules for election expenses. The spending limit for a candidate has been set at Tk 10 per voter.
• Donation Transparency: Political parties are now obliged to clearly publish a detailed list of funds received as donations on their official website.
• Article 13 (Security Deposit): The amount of the security deposit required when submitting nomination papers has been increased to Tk 50,000, up from the previous amount of Tk 20,000.
New Provisions and Accountability
• Article 73 (Electoral Offenses): New offense provisions have been added for both candidates and political parties to prevent the misuse of false information, misinformation, rumors, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Police Transfers: The transfer of police officers up to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) is now included within the purview of the relevant authorities (the Election Commission).
• Article 90 (Party Registration): Provisions have been added concerning party registration, acceptance of financial grants, and the stipulation that if a party’s registration is suspended, its electoral symbol will also be suspended.
• Minor Amendments: Minor revisions have been made to Articles 74, 81, 87, and 89.
