EC to Check Expenses by Candidates in All 5 State Assembly Elections

The Election Commission of India said it would keep an eye on all th expenses by candidates in the five states where assembly elections have been announced.

The Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa will be held in phases from February 4 to March 8. The counting of votes will take place simultaneously on March 11.

With the demonetisation impact vividly seen in all the states going for elections, the Election Commission has come out with specific Dos and Don’ts for the contestants on their expenses and accounting for them. Even media outfit are under radar for any advertisement mean for candidates and the political parties.

The limit on candidate expenses have been fixed for all the five states. In U.P., Punjab and Uttarakhand it is Rs.28 lakh per head and in Manipur and Goa, it is Rs.20 lakh per head. Even the expenditure outside the polling stations in kiosks will be taken as that of the candidate.

Expenses above Rs. 20,000 should be given in the form of a cheque. Finally, within 30 days after the declaration of results, the candidates should file an expense declaration.

The media monitoring committees have been formed to check if TV channels are carrying any campaigns and the expenses will be accordingly included.

The EC has also asked an additional affidavit to be filed by candidates for on-demand certificates showing no-dues on account of electricity, rent charges, etc and the ballot papers will have a photo of the candidates, which will be transferred electronically to help voters.

In addition, noise pollution during campaign will not be allowed beyond certain degree and security forces will be deployed in advance in vulnerable pockets.

In all, 690 constituencies are going to the polls, of which 133 are reserved for SC and 23 for ST. Over 16 crore voters will be eleigible to vote in the polls.

About 1.85 lakh polling stations will be set up with four facilitation posters at each polling station. There will be separate polling stations for women and all polling stations will be disabled-friendly, said the Commission.