Election Commission of India has suggested ways to political parties for avoiding excessive expenses during ensuing Vidhan Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. Political parties have been urged to exercise self-control in election expenses and also avoid exchange of cash during electoral process. The commission has advised candidates/agents not to carry with them Rs 50,000 or more in constituencies during elections.
As per existing election laws, distribution of cash amounts, liquor and other goods to voters amounts to bribe. Both the giver and taker of this are liable to jail term upto one-year. According to section 123 of Representation of People Act-1951, this is also a corrupt practice. Candidates will have to maintain an election expenses account register with correct and error-free entries and submit the same within prescribed time-limit.
Non-submission of expenses account register as directed within prescribed time-limit may by one of the reasons due to which a candidate can be barred from contesting elections for 3 years under section 10-A of Representation of People Act-1951. Election Commission can verify figures of accounts and bar candidate from contesting election for 3 years under section 10-A.
It has also been clarified regarding upper limit of election expenses. A Vidhan Sabha candidate's election expenses limit is Rs 16 lakh and lok Sabha Rs 40 lakh. If winning candidate spends more than election expenses limit, a writ petition can be filed against him/her. There will be no limit of election expenses for political parties. But they will have to submit account of elections expenses within prescribed time-limit. The time-limit will be 75 days for Vidhan Sabha and 90 days for lok Sabha elections.
For election expenses, a candidate will have to open a separate bank account a day before filing nomination. Candidate will appoint a separate agent for election expenses. All transactions for election expenses will be through account/payee cheques. If any party has to spend over Rs 20,000 on a single day then it will have to submit its details in election expenses account within 30 days of declaration of election results along with copy of bank passbook.
Eight teams will be deployed along with assistant expenses observer to monitor election expenses. These teams include expenses monitoring cell, video surveillance cell, video viewing team, media monitoring team, accounting team, surveillance team, illegal cash, call centre, expenses monitoring control room.