Political parties spent Rs. 573.24 cr in 5 Assembly elections in 2016

Agencies
July 6, 2017

New Delhi, July 6: Political parties spent Rs. 573.24 crore in the five Assembly elections held in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in 2016, out of which the lion’s share was spent on publicity (Rs 256.79 crore) and paying lumpsum amount to candidates (Rs 212.54 crore), says an analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-profit election watchdog.

parties

Among national parties, BJP declared spending the highest (Rs 112.14 crore) in the five Assembly polls, followed by Congress at Rs. 41.49 crore, while among regional parties DMK in Tamil Nadu declared spending the highest (Rs 97.34 crore), followed by AIADMK at Rs. 64.72 crore. The State, which drew the highest poll spending by all parties is West Bengal, where state units spent Rs. 110.62 crore.

Overall, the funds collected by the six national parties at Rs. 287.89 crore were much lower than the amount spent during the five Assembly elections. Based on the details provided to the Election Commission, the regional parties said they collected only Rs. 67.22 crore during the elections, but spent Rs. 213.97 crore.

Interestingly, despite contesting four Assembly elections (Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal), Shiv Sena has declared that the party incurred no expenditure towards their election campaign in these States.

“The election expenditure reports of political parties contain information on the funds collected at the Central headquarters of the party as well as at the State level,” said an ADR release.

Among the state units, the political parties collected the maximum amount of Rs. 84.30 crore from West Bengal as a cheque payment.

Cheques were the most preferred mode of collection and expenditure by all parties, forming 55.57 per cent of the total funds collected, and 75.32 per cent of expenditure. Cash collections made up for 44.43 per cent of total collections.

Among various heads, national parties spent the most on publicity at Rs. 137.46 crore, with BJP spending the highest at Rs. 87.28 crore. Among regional parties, AIADMK spent the maximum on publicity at Rs. 55 crore.

The ADR analysis comes close on the heels of the outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi calling for more transparency in poll funding.

ADR, on its part, has demanded that it must be made mandatory for all political parties to submit their statements of expenditure in the format given by the ECI, within the prescribed timelimit. Also, details of all donors who contribute to national and regional parties exclusively for their election campaigns must be declared in the public domain.

Also, similar to the shadow observers of the ECI for monitoring the expenditure of candidates, there must also be observers for monitoring the expenditure of political parties, it added.

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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