According to a recent media report, many candidates lost their deposit in the recently concluded Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections.
Key points and provisions
- An election security deposit is an amount that is to be deposited with the Returning Officer when a candidate files their nomination.
- The amount, submitted either in cash, or a receipt must be enclosed with the nomination paper, showing that the said sum has been deposited on the candidate’s behalf in the Reserve Bank of India or in a Government Treasury.
- The main objective behind this move is to ensure that only genuinely intending candidates end up filing the nomination to be a part of the electoral process.
Amounts to be deposited
The security deposit depends on the election being conducted. The Representation of the People Act of 1951 mentions different amounts depending on the level of election:
- In the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections, the amount is Rs 25,000 and Rs 12,500 for a Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidate.
- In the state assembly or Council constituency, it is Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 for an SC/ST candidate.
- In Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, a deposit of Rs 15,000 is to be made.
Lost deposits
- As per the Representation of the People Act of 1951, the deposit has to be forfeited at an election if the number of valid votes polled by the candidate is less than 1/6th of the total number of valid votes polled.
- If a candidate withdraws their nomination or passes away before the polls, the amount is returned.
