Assembly Election dates announced - Expenses above Rs 20,000 have to be made through cheques​

New Delhi: In a major step, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced that candidates fighting for Assembly seats in the upcoming polls in five states will have to make payments above Rs 20,000 through cheques.

There will be a strict expenditure monitor mechanism to curb black money, announced Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi.

The EC has also set the campaign expenses limit per candidate at between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 28 lakh in the five states where Assembly polls will be held in February and March. Notably, the upcoming Assembly Elections are the first after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on November 08, 2016.

Announcing the limit, the CEC said: "In Goa and Manipur, the limit on election expenses per candidate is Rs 20 lakh."

"In Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the election expenses limit per candidate is Rs 28 lakh," he added.

Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur will be held between February 04 and March 08, Zaidi announced.

The results will be known on March 11.