Election Spending in India and the U.S.

Election Spending Limits in India:
• Major political parties often exceed election expenditure limits set by the Election Commission.
• These limits are meant to regulate spending and prevent undue influence.

Election Financing in the U.S.:
• Spending is largely driven by Super PACs with no spending limits.
• The U.K. has strict caps on both party and candidate expenditures.

Challenges in Election Spending:
• In India, inflated expenditures create an entry barrier for genuine candidates without deep financial backing.
• In the U.S., election financing occurs primarily through contributions from individuals, corporations, and political action committees.

Potential Reforms:
• State funding of elections is advocated.
• Simultaneous elections are touted as a solution to rising election expenditures.
• Proposed Electoral Reforms include amending the law to explicitly allow ‘financial assistance’ within the candidate’s election expenditure limits.