The security deposit of candidates getting less than one sixth of the total valid votes is forfeited
Wednesday, 02 March 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Though the candidates have to deposit only a sum of Rs 10,000 as security while filling the nomination form for the assembly elections the security deposit often becomes a matter of pride for the candidates and the political parties from which they are contesting the elections. As per the provisions of section 158 of the Representation of the People Act 1951, the security deposit of such candidates who fail to secure one sixth of the total valid votes is forfeited. The data of the election commission reveals that about 80 per cent of the candidates who had contested the assembly elections in Uttarakhand forfeit their security deposit. In every election a vast majority of the independents candidates lose their security deposit. Similarly a large number of the candidates belonging to smaller parties also lose their deposit. Apart from them there are instances when the candidates fielded by either the Congress or Bharatiya Janata Party also forfeit their security deposit. The data shows that in the last four assembly elections 26 candidates of Congress party and 22 of BJP have lost their security deposit. In the first assembly elections held in the year 2002, a total of 927 candidates were in fray and out of them 75 lost their deposits. In this election 55 candidates of BSP, 54 of UKD, 12 of BJP and 10 of Congress had also lost their deposits. In the elections of 2007, as many as 620 candidates out of 785 contestants had lost their deposits. Apart from independents they included 57 candidates of BSP, 52 of UKD, eight of Congress and seven of BJP. In the year 2012 a total of 788 candidates were in the electoral fray and out of them 788 lost their deposits. In this election four candidates of Congress and three of BJP lost their deposits. Held under a strong Modi wave, the assembly elections of 2017 witnessed a scenario where 60 candidates of BSP, 54 of UKD and four of Congress lost their security deposit. In this election, the voting of which was held on February 14, a total of 632 candidates are in the fray. Apart from deciding the winning candidates and the party which would form the next government, the results of March 10 would also reveal how many of the candidates would be able to save their security deposit and pride.
