2024 Lok Sabha polls set to break records with Rs 1.35 lakh crore outlay: Report

Cost of elections: The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to shatter previous records, becoming the most financially intensive electoral event globally, according to election analyst N Bhaskara Rao. Projections suggest an estimated expenditure of approximately Rs 1.35 lakh crore, surpassing the Rs 60,000 crore spent in 2019. Rao, chairing the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), a non-profit organisation tracking election spending for over three decades, indicates that this figure encompasses all election-related expenses, inclusive of outlays by political entities, candidates, governmental bodies, and the Election Commission.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing a third consecutive term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, industry experts note the party's pervasive presence in campaigns, regardless of the medium employed for publicity. Rao, in an interview with PTI, disclosed the revision of initial expenditure estimates from Rs 1.2 lakh crore to Rs 1.35 lakh crore, attributing the adjustment to electoral bond disclosures and comprehensive accounting of all election-related outlays.

Underlining the multifaceted influx of funds into the electoral process beyond electoral bonds, Rao highlights recent observations by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), indicating a major lack of transparency in political funding in India. From 2004-05 to 2022-23, ADR reports approximately 60 per cent of contributions to the nation's six major political parties, amounting to Rs 19,083 crore, originating from undisclosed sources, including funds from electoral bonds.

Despite refraining from providing cumulative expenditure projections for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the ADR highlights the role of pre-election activities in campaign spending, including political rallies, transportation, workforce recruitment, and even the contentious practice of political leaders' defection.

Predictably, media campaigns across diverse platforms are anticipated to consume 30 per cent of the total election expenditure, with Rao noting that while visible spending is concentrated during the 45-day direct campaign period, the actual outlay far surpasses this timeframe. 

Parties and candidates often navigate spending restrictions imposed by the Model Code of Conduct, as highlighted by CMS's 2019 report indicating the BJP's share of the total spending.

In his latest publication, 'Next Big Game Changer of Elections,' Rao underscores the escalating reliance on 'money power' over ideology in Indian politics, lamenting the transformation of election campaigns from ideology-driven movements to divisive, demographic-driven tactics.

As digital campaigning gains traction, political entities are increasingly engaging professional agencies to bolster brand recall. Amit Wadhwa, CEO of Dentsu Creative, notes a significant surge in digital campaigning, likening political parties' behaviour to corporate brands. With digital platforms projected to outshine traditional mediums, advertising strategies are tailored to target unaffiliated voters, or 'fence-sitters,' across various media channels.

Notably, social media giants like Meta and Google play pivotal roles in political campaigns, with advertisements categorised into Above the Line (ATL), Below the Line (BTL), and Through the Line (TTL) activities. As the election progresses, the intensity of visual campaigning, particularly in regions like North Bengal, is anticipated to escalate further.

In response to this year's increased spending, agencies associated with leading national parties acknowledge the significant surge without offering further comments.

(With PTI inputs)