ACCOUNTS OF ELECTION EXPENSES

General/Bye-elections - Instructions for guidance of contesting candidate of election expenses.

Election Commission's letter No. 76/96/J.S.II Dated the 12th January, 1996 addressed to (1) The Chief Secretaries of all States/Union Territories. and (2) The Chief Electoral Officers of all States/Union Territories.

Subject:- General Elections/Bye-Elections-Instructions for guidance of contesting candidates for lodging their accounts of election expenses-inspection of maintenance of accounts of election expenditure as an additional regulatory measure regarding.

I am directed to refer to the Commission's letter No. 76/94/J.S.II dated 31.8.94, forwarding therewith a copy of the Commission's order No. 76/ES003/94/J.S.II dated 31.8.1994 in which the Commission has directed among other things, that a register in a standard proforma as shown in Annexure-I to that order and duly authenticated by the District Election Officer shall be issued to each candidate immediately after his nomination, for keeping the day-to-day account of expenditure. It was also directed that the day-to-day account maintained in the aforesaid register together with the supporting documents shall be made available for inspection by the candidate at any time during the process of election to the District Election Officer, Returning Officer, Election Expenditure observer appointed by the Commission or any other such authority nominated by the Commission in this behalf and that the failure to produce this register on demand will considered as a major default.

2. While the Commission has directed that directions contained in the aforesaid order shall be strictly followed in the coming general elections, it has noted with concern that because of the over-enthusiastic approach of some observers, Returning Officers, etc., in the matter, the candidates were required to produce personally these registers every day for inspection and, for that purpose, they had to travel long distances to come to the office of the Returning Officers, etc., leaving their election campaign and incurring additional expenditure in the travel involved. The Commission has desired that all officers including Returning Officers/Assistant Returning Officers/District Election Officers and Observers etc., must, while inspecting the accounts at random, ensure that such an inspection does not become an engine of harassment/oppression to the detriment of the electioneering of the candidate which is his legal right.

3. These instructions should be widely publicized so that any apprehensions in the minds of the candidates, etc. are allayed.

4. You are requested to bring the contents of this letter to the notice of all concerned for strict compliance.

5. The receipt of this letter may kindly be acknowledged.



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