CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has allocated Rs 198 crore as honorarium to government employees and teachers who were engaged in Assembly election-related work conducted in April and May.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, Chennai district received the highest allocation of Rs 13.86 crore, owing to its 16 Assembly constituencies. Coimbatore district, which has 10 Assembly constituencies, secured the second-highest allocation of Rs 8.86 crore, followed by Salem district with Rs

8.75 crore. Madurai, which also has 10 Assembly constituencies, was allocated Rs 7.87 crore.

As per the allocation, district election officers, returning officers, assistant returning officers, corporation commissioners, district revenue officers and special tahsildars (elections) will receive Rs 45,000 each as honorarium. Other officials, including Revenue divisional officers, tahsildars, flying squad personnel and members of various election surveillance teams, such as Static Surveillance Teams and Video Viewing Teams, will receive Rs 30,000 each. Similarly, staff from the Revenue Department will receive Rs 20,000 each, while election data operators will be paid Rs 10,000 each.

Around three lakh government employees and teachers were engaged in election-related duties, including election administration, enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, surveillance, monitoring and polling arrangements, for nearly two months, from mid-March to the first week of May.