Workshop on Election Expenditure Monitoring

S. Kunjabihari Singh *

Electioneering in Imphal in 2007 poll :: Pix - David M Mayum

The other day, Nov 29 and 30 (2011), there was a workshop organised by the Office of the CEO, Manipur. It focused on the imperative necessity to maintain a system of secured records of the expenses on eligible items, within a ceiling prescribed under Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.

While the various checks and balances introduced by the ECI for the forthcoming elections and additional measures to be initiated thereon were emphasized, the primary object appear to be, to contain the election expenses within the limit, that too on eligible items. The ultimate beneficial object may be summarized as:-

No individual should be able to secure an advantage over others by virtue of his or her financial strength. This, in turn, implies that the influence of big money should be curtailed, as far as possible.

Note the phrase as far as possible. The endeavour is to attempt to contain the total expenditure on the entire election process within Rs 8 lakhs for the ensuing Assembly elections in the smaller States like Manipur. The maximum ceiling is pegged at Rs 16 lakhs as for bigger States like UP or Maharashtra.

This expenditure ceiling As for expenses between the date of nomination and the date of declaration of result of election, both days inclusive. Expenses prior to the date of nomination as are usually the normal practice, however huge they may be, are conveniently overlooked. Here lies the problem inherent in the whole system.

In the workshop, it was revealed that in the recent election in Tamil Nadu, posters banners, handouts, super-size cutouts of prospective candidates and such other publicity materials which should have cost a couple of lakhs, were installed months ahead of the date of nomination, only to be cleaned out 100% on the date of filing nomination so that the whole process religiously falls in line. The candidate has not erred as far as the code is concerned.

We are too, not far behind in the race in our Sanaleibak. I have heard about, at least an election meeting, convened by a prospective candidate in Yaiskul constituency, about a month back, where woolen shawls estimated to cost minimum of Rs 700/-each were distributed as a token of respect, to everyone who attended the treat.

Plus the refreshment, the arrangement for the meet, all put should have east a neat Rs 4 lakhs for an audience of 500. Then again, recall the number of community halls raised, culverts, drainage or by-roads constructed or repaired, shumang leelas arranged etc. Not to worry, as these are well before the date of nomination and thus do not, I repeat, do not attract the penal provisions.

This time around, there has been considerable emphasis on regulating election expenditure. The usual Expenditure Observers would be assisted by Asst. Expender Observers, Video Surveillance Teams, Video Viewing Teams, Accounting Teams etc. Control Rooms, 24X7 call centres, Flying Squads, Surveillance Teams will be in position.

Even Income Tax Departments are too roped in for close surveillance of movement of cash. Hitherto, one heard about sensitive and hypersensitive constituencies in terms of the intensity of law & order issues. In this election, new terms like, Expender Sensitive Constituencies have been coined and being put if, position considering the propensity to high expenditure and corrupt practices.

For such constituencies more than one Assistant Expenditure Observers over and above two flies squads, more number of static surveillance teams and video surveillance teams. Even Shadow Observation Registers (on expender) are being introduced to strictly monitor expenditure to make things doubly sure.

Sadly, however, all these additional prescriptions wouldn't have the desired effect, as the parties and the candidates would have contained the superfluous expenses much before the dead line and thus ensure a safe passage. Nothing wonder, that as revealed in the workshop, the expenditure of most of the candidates, in the past was shown to be around Rs 5 lakhs in each election, safely below the ceiling of Rs 8 lakhs.

Does not this sound impossible? The objective of the workshop was, however, achieved—the office of the CEO had put up an exemplary effort to showcase the various facets of the new stress of the ECI and made them public. The ECI, in the comfort of Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, should be pleased hearing the success of the process of the workshop where attendance was reasonably thick.

It was a wise decision to shift the venue of the meet to a three-star hotel for obvious reasons. Many aspiring parties and candidates were in attendance to get first hand exposure to the rudiments of the ensuing election. The broadest grin must have been sported by the high profile politicians at the apparent inability of the ECI and therefore of the CEO, to devise any strategy to curtail huge investments made prior to the nomination date. Another feather on the cap of the CEO.

At the end of the day, however, the ultimate objective of containing the huge election expenses will never be achieved and is as good as lost. The common man in particular, the men of principle and integrity with moderate means of finance would suffer from irreparable disadvantage of shortage of funds.

The off-record reading of a moderate election expense in the State is pegged at a crore of rupees, and the records would end up with a report of 5 or 6 lakhs rupees only about a 16th or 20th of the actual.

The hidden expenses would wield tremendous power and influence in the process, as money power, directly or indirectly, begets muscle power, which again generates its own impact on the process. The society remains facing the brunt of this absolute system. So far so helpless!