DHAKA: The Election Commission Wednesday issued a gazette fixing expenditure for the chairman and member candidates in the upcoming union parishad elections.

The ceilings of spending are fixed at Tk 5 lakh and Tk 1 lakh for chairman and member candidates respectively.

Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain informed reporters about the gazette notification at his office, unveiling the process of holding election to the lowest tier of local government.

Previously there was no ceiling of expenditure for the UP election candidates.

Sakhawat said huge amounts of black money were circulated in previous elections as the limit was not fixed.

"To ensure transparency the expenditure was fixed for the first time," he said.

BDST: 2210 HRS, AUGUST 25, 2010