Successive Lok Sabha elections have shown a rise in number of candidates forfeiting their deposit, but this has not stopped people from throwing their hat in the electoral ring.

Election Commission rules say that if a candidate fails to get a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled, the deposit goes to the treasury.

A candidate contesting from a general seat has to deposit Rs 25,000 as security deposit.

The amount is Rs 12,500 for candidates contesting from reserved seats. In First Lok Sabha Elections in 1951-52, almost 40 per cent or 745 out of 1874 candidates forfeited their deposits.

Since then, almost all Lok Sabha elections have witnessed upward trend in candidates losing their deposits.