Election Commission allocation rises to Tk 20b ahead of election

The interim government has said that election will be held by June of next year, but have not given any specific date. If the election is held within that timeframe, it will fall under the 2025–26 fiscal year. Accordingly, the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes an increased allocation for the election commission.

In the budget announced last Monday by the finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, a total of Tk 29.56 billion (Tk 2,956 crore) has been allocated for the election commission for the next fiscal year. Of this amount, Tk 27.27 billion (Tk 2,727 crore) is earmarked for operational expenses, and Tk 2.29 billion (Tk 229 crore) for development expenditure. In the current 2024-25 fiscal year, the revised allocation for the election commission was Tk 11.42 billion (Tk 1,142 crore), comprising Tk 7.16 billion (Tk 716 crore) for operational expenses and Tk 4.26 billion (Tk 426 crore) for development.

Compared to the current fiscal year, the allocation for the election commission in the upcoming fiscal year has increased by Tk 18.14 billion (Tk 1,814 crore) or 159 per cent.

In his budget speech, the finance adviser did not mention the election commission’s allocation. However, the ministry and sector-wise budget allocation list includes details of the commission’s proposed funding. The majority of the election commission’s allocation for the upcoming fiscal year is designated for operational expenses. In the revised budget for the current fiscal year, the operational allocation for the commission was Tk 7.16 billion (Tk 716 crore). In the upcoming fiscal year, that amount has increased to Tk 27.17 billion (Tk 2,727 crore), an increase of Tk 20.11 billion (Tk 2,011 crore) in operational expenses.

Officials concerned have stated that this increase in the commission’s operational budget has been made in anticipation of the upcoming election. A large portion of this will be spent on organising the election.
The country’s most recent parliamentary election, the 12th national election, was held on 7 January 2024, which fell under the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Ahead of that election, the election commission had been allocated Tk 41.90 billion (Tk 4,190 crore), of which Tk 39.81 billion (Tk 3,981 crore) was for operational costs and Tk 2.09 billion (Tk 209 crore) for development expenses. In comparison, the operational allocation for the upcoming election is Tk 27 billion (Tk 2,700 crore), significantly lower than the nearly Tk 40 billion (Tk 4,000 crore) allocated ahead of the last election in 2024.