84% contestants lost deposits in 2009 polls

Hyderabad, March 15 (INN): In 2009 General Elections 84.6 percent contestants failed to get a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled, hence lost their security deposits. Out of 8070 contestants in the fray 6829 could not save their deposits.

According to the Election Commission of India rules, a candidate for Lok Sabha election has to make a deposit of Rs 25,000/- at the time of filing the nomination.

Candidates from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes need to pay half of this amount. If the candidate fails to get a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled, the deposit goes to the treasury.

Total contestants, 8070 for 543 Lok Sabha seats, included 1623 from the National Parties, 394 from the State Parties, 2222 from the unrecognized registered Parties and 3831 Independents.

Amongst those who lost their security deposits, 779 were from the National Parties, 80 from the state parties, 2164 from the unrecognized registered parties and 3806 were independents.

This meant that roughly, every second aspirant from national parties and every fifth aspirant from state parties could not save their deposits. Also, only 25 independents out of 3831 could secure the requisite number of votes to save their deposits. Overall, a whopping 84.6 percent of the candidates lost their security deposits.

Percentage-wise, about 48% of the seven national parties (BJP, BSP, CPI, CPM, INC, NCP and RJD), 20.3% of the state parties, 97.38% of unrecognized registered parties and 99.34 % of the independent aspirants lost their security money during the 2009 General Elections.

Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 1155 candidates loosing their deposits during 2009 General Elections. In the state 1368 candidates were in race for 80 seats of which 242 were from seven national parties, 75 from state parties, 488 from unrecognized registered parties and 563 remaining were independents.

Out of these, 95 from the national parties, 19 from the state parties and 479 from unrecognized registered parties lost their deposits. And interestingly, all but one of the 563 independent aspirants forfeited their security money.

Following Uttar Pradesh was the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where out of 823 candidates, who contested for 39 Lok Sabha seats, 745 lost their security deposits. Out of 76 national parties' candidates, 55 lost their deposits while all the 55 candidates from state parties could save their deposits in the state.

Only two out of 164 candidates from unrecognized registered parties could save their deposits whereas all 528 independents lost their deposits.

Not far behind was the state of Maharashtra where out of 819 candidates in race for 48 Lok Sabha Seats, security deposits of 705 candidates were forfeited.

While only five out of 410 independents got the requisite number of votes to save their deposits, 53 from the national parties and one from state parties lost their security money in Maharashtra.

In Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, the security amounts were forfeited of 583 and 468 candidates respectively. In Madhya Pradesh, out of 429 candidates, contested for 29 seats, deposits of 368 candidates were forfeited. In Karnataka, where 427 candidates contested for the 28 Lok Sabha seats, 362 lost their deposits.