From ₹12 for coffee to ₹2,421 for an SUV – the expenditure rate card for candidates in Delhi election 2025 revealed

Delhi Elections 2025: A plate of cholle-kulche and poori-sabzi for ₹35 each. Samosa and bread pakora for ₹12 each. A cup of tea for ₹6 and a cup of coffee for ₹12.

These are not prices on the menu of any eatery in the national capital but the maximum prices that a candidate can spend as prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of Delhi Elections 2025.

As a norm, the poll panel tabs candidates' expenses item-wise in election campaigns. The rates are fixed based on feedback from district election officials, market dealers, political parties, and the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Delhi Elections: ₹40 lakh per candidate

Overall, the EC’s maximum limit on election expenditure for assembly seats for each candidate is ₹40 lakh. For Lok Sabha elections, the limit is ₹95 lakh. The expenditure limit has increased over the years. In 2019, the limit was ₹70 lakh a candidate for the Lok Sabha election and ₹28 lakh a candidate for the Assembly election candidates.

The accounting of expenses is done from the date candidates file their nomination papers until the day of results. The Delhi Election 2025 for 70 assembly seats is scheduled on February 5.

As many as 699 candidates have filed nominations for the 70 seats of Delhi Assembly. The results will be announced on February 8.

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP won the last two assembly elections in 2015 and 2020 with a comfortable majority in the 70-member house. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has not been in power in Delhi for 27 years, was left with single-digit seats in the Delhi assembly in the last two elections. The Congress was completely wiped out after ruling Delhi for 15 years before 2013.

The rate list also mentions the maximum expenditure limit on tents, chairs, tables, podiums and generators. For gatherings of up to 2,000 people, for example, the maximum rate, including all related expenses, is set at ₹30,000 per event. For smaller gatherings with less than 250 people in attendance, the staging rate is ₹6,150.

There are price limits for flags, posters, handbills, hoarding, cut-outs and stickers too. Pens used in party election offices cannot exceed ₹6 each. Among the musical instruments used in campaign events, drums have a rate of ₹500 per day.

Delhi Elections: A horse at ₹3,075 per day

A candidate can hire a horse at ₹3,075 a day and an elephant at ₹ 6,150 a day. The candidates need to get the poll panel’s approval to hire the animals for campaigning, though. The daily wage rate ranges from ₹692 for unskilled workers to ₹ 913 for graduates and above.

Among other food items, a full meal served for lunch or dinner is capped at ₹70. A sandwich for ₹20, a kachori for ₹15 and a water bottle (1 litre) for ₹19.

A broom, the party symbol of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), either used for maintaining party offices and event venues or during campaigning, cannot cost more than ₹25 each. 

The EC has also set rates for accommodations in hotels and for vehicles. The rates of Tata Sumo, Toyota Innova, and Mahindra Scorpio, to name a few SUVs, are ₹2,421 per day per vehicle. For a normal car, the limit of ₹1,499 per day. The maximum cost for a two-wheeler is ₹84 per day.

The poll panel has set rates for the use of drones at ₹7,000 per day. A small garland cannot exceed ₹20, while 10-foot garlands cannot cost more than ₹1,500. Flowers used as stage decorations are priced at ₹35 per square foot.

The candidates are supposed to submit the expenditure report before the poll panel within 30 days of the completion of an election. The expenses are also monitored by the commission through video recording during the campaign. In the event of a violation or incorrect claims, the candidature of the person is cancelled as per election commission rules.