Q. Consider the following statements:
1.Star campaigners can be designated “leaders of a political party” who campaign on behalf of their party’s candidates.
2.Recognised national or state political parties can appoint a maximum of 20-star campaigners.
3.Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) allows star campaigners to campaign without the costs being added to a candidate’s election expenditure.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Explanation –
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Star campaigners are designated “leaders of a political party” who campaign on behalf of their party’s candidates during elections. Moreover, star campaigners are not necessarily just “leaders” of a political party. They can also be prominent figures who campaign for the party’s candidates. This can include film actors, athletes, or other influential personalities. Section 77 of the RP Act exempts expenses incurred on star campaigners from being added to the individual candidate’s election expenditure. This allows parties more flexibility in spending during campaigns. Star campaigners’ expenses are excluded from a candidate’s election expenditure only if they engage in general campaigning for the party without directly seeking votes for specific candidates or sharing the dais with them.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Recognized political parties, both national and state, can appoint up to 40-star campaigners while, Registered unrecognized political parties are allowed to appoint up to 20-star campaigners.
Source: The Hindu
