The Punjab Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the election expenditure statements submitted by the newly-elected MLAs. These expenses include public meetings and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, expense on campaign workers, expense on vehicles used and expense on campaign materials.

According to Section 78 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, every contesting candidate has to lodge a copy of his election expenses within 30 days from the date of declaration of result of election, with the district election officer. It has been found that chief minister Bhagwant Mann spent the maximum expenses at Rs 34.94 lakh (87%) out of the limit of Rs 40 lakh.

The lowest expenses was incurred by Jai Kishan Rori, who spent just Rs 5.71 lakh (14%). After Bhagwant Mann, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh spent Rs 33.78 lakh (84%) and Faridkot MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon spent Rs 30.92 lakh (77%). While on the lower side, Gulal Ghanor spent the second lowest at Rs 8.07 lakh (20%) and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring of Congress spent the third lowest at Rs 8.25 lakh (21%). Out of 117 MLAs , 74 (63%) MLAs have declared election expenses less than 50% of the expense limit in their constituency.

Based on the election expense declarations of 117 MLAs from Punjab Assembly, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is Rs 17.99 lakh, which is 45% of the expense limit.

The party wise average election expenses shows that the average spending by 92 MLAs from AAP is Rs 17.66 lakh (44.2%). For 18 MLAs from INC, the average election expenditure is Rs 18.01 lakh (45% of the expense limit), the average election expenditure by 3 MLAs from SAD is Rs. 20.81 lakh (52% of the expense limit), while the average election expenditure for 2 MLAs from BJP is Rs 26.29 lakh (65.7% of the expense limit), and the election expenditure for 1 MLA from BSP is Rs 17.02 lakh (42.6% of the expense limit). Out of the 117 MLAs, 59 (50.42%) MLAs have declared that they have spent funds on public meetings, processions etc with star campaigners and 58 (49.58%) MLAs have declared that they have not spent any funds on that count.

A total of 85 (73%) MLAs have declared that they have spent funds on campaigning through electronic/print media and 32 (27%) MLAs have declared that they have not spent any funds on this front. As many as 116 (99%) MLAs have declared that they have spent funds on campaign vehicles, while 1 MLA has declared that he has not spent any funds on vehicles. A total 58 MLAs have declared criminal cases, out of these 56 (97%) MLAs have declared that they have spent funds on publishing of declarations regarding the cases.