EO instructs Outer RO
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 05 2019: Finding violation of the rules and regulation concerning expenditure practice by the candidates contesting in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency election which will be held on April 11, Expenditure Observers have urged the Returning Officer (RO) of the Lok Sabha election to do the needful at the earliest.

On the other hand, the Expenditure Observers have also instructed the RO to take up necessary action against the banks concerned after it came to light that certain banks were not following the guidelines which compelled them to submit a daily report regarding any suspicious deposit or withdrawal of large amount of money during election times.

According to an official source, the Expenditure Observers carried out two inspections of the bank accounts held by the candidates contesting the coming election.

BK Singh and Vinay Kumar Kantheti, who were sent as Expenditure Observers by the ECI for Outer seat, conducted necessary inspection of the bank accounts belonging to the candidates on March 31 and yesterday.

During the inspection, it was observed that NPP candidate Thangminlen Kipgen and Independent candidate Leikhan Kaipu had no bank accounts, while the remaining candidates failed to use their bank accounts which are supposed to be used for routing donations/funds as expenditures for the election.

It was also observed that Benjamin Mate of BJP and Ashang Kasar of NEIDP made payments above Rs 10,000 in cash.

Taking serious concern of the violation of election norms by the candidates, the Expenditure Observers have instructed the RO (DEO Thoubal) to issue necessary notice against the candidates, the source added.

On the other hand, many banks were also found violating the guideline which requires them to submit a daily report of the deposit and withdrawal of money by their customers.

As per the election guidelines, all banks are required to submit a daily report regarding unusual deposit or withdrawal of cash exceeding Rs 1 lakh during the election process, unusual transfer of funds by RTGS from one bank account to the accounts of several persons, any deposit of cash or withdrawal of cash exceeding Rs 1 lakh from the bank account of the candidates or spouse or his dependants as mentioned in the affidavit filed by the candidates, any withdrawal or deposit exceeding Rs 1 lakh in the account of the political party and any other suspicious cash transaction.However it was found that most of the banks failed to submit the daily reports and the Expenditure Observers have instructed the RO to send notice to the banks and take up necessary actions at the earliest.

Taking note of the findings by the Expenditure Observers, the Additional CEO Manipur, T Ranjit has also sent a written intimation to the RO instructing the official to do the needful, the source added.

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