ACCOUNTS OF ELECTION EXPENSES

Language in which the accounts of election expenses may be filed by the candidates.

Election Commission's order No. 76/95/J.S.II Dated : 10th April, 1995

----------------------------------------------------ORDER

Subject :- Language in which the accounts of election expenses may be filed by the contesting candidates.

1. The question of language in which a contesting candidate can file the return of account of election expenses under section 78 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 has been examined by the Commission.

2. All statutory documents and forms under the election law are printed and made available in the local approved languages. Candidates and others are permitted to file miscellaneous petitions and representations in local languages. These documents are not rejected on grounds of their not being in English or Hindi.

3. It would be unjust to reject an election expenses return lodged by a candidate on the ground of its not being in English or Hindi in view of the fact that the candidates who are not well versed in these languages will feel deprived. If mistakes are found in returns of election expenses the same may be ascribed to lack of knowledge of English or Hindi.

4. Apart from the mandatory provision that all statutory documents and forms shall be prepared in local approved languages, the Commission also directs the Chief Electoral Officers in its various important orders and directions to get them translated into local languages if those orders or directions are meant for wide publicity and circulation among the political parties, candidates and public in the State.

5. Thus, in fairness to the contesting candidates at elections to the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies from different States and Union Territories, they will be permitted to file returns of election expenses in English, Hindi or the local language(s) in which the electoral rolls are printed.

6. It shall be responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and Returning Officers to ensure that all the contesting candidates get the forms/registers/extracts of rules relating to lodging of returns of accounts of election expenses in the approved regional language for electoral rolls so that no candidate may complain that he is not aware of the statutory requirements relating to filing the returns of election expenses and he is able to maintain his account from day to day properly and accordingly.



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