In Indian elections, the “deposit” is a crucial aspect of the electoral process. According to Article 34(1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, candidates must make a deposit to contest elections.
The deposit amount varies, with General category candidates required to deposit Rs. 10,000, and SC, ST, and ST candidates required to deposit Rs. 5,000.
Candidates must submit this deposit when filing their nomination papers, demonstrating their commitment to the electoral process.
After the election, if a candidate secures more than one-sixth (16.6%) of the votes, their deposit is refunded. However, for candidates who do not meet this threshold, the deposit is not returned, leading to the phrase “security deposit lost.”
For example, BJP candidates lost security deposit in 173 out of 173 seats contested in Andhra Pradesh 2019 Assembly elections.
This system encourages serious electoral participation and discourages insincere candidates, contributing to the integrity of Indian elections.
