Observers call for curbing poll expenditures
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIO

Bishnupur, February 12 2022: Expenditure observers deputed to Bishnupur district Akta Jain and Mahesh G Jiwade on Saturday asserted that they will keep a close tab on election expenditures to ensure free, fair and inducement free election in the district.

They also appealed to election agents of all contesting candidates in the district to impress upon their candidates to be role models in curbing illegal expenditures in the upcoming polls.

The observers made the statements while briefing election agents on election accounts maintenance during a meeting held at PRC Hall, Bishnupur Mini Secretariat complex.

The observers reiterated that Election Commission of India has recently revised the expenditure ceiling of candidates to Rs 28 lakh for the state and apprised the agents that expenditure of candidates will be closely monitored from date of nominations till declaration of results.

Three rounds of expenditure register inspection will be undertaken during the course of election process with Election Expenditure Monitoring cell, they added.

They also informed that apart from obtaining media certification from MCMC for any publicity in the media including social media, expenditures incurred towards development of contents must be duly entered in the expenses register of candidates.

They further informed that criminal antecedents must be published in the media at least three times during the course of election process and the expenses for such publication should be recorded in the relevant accounts register.

Replying to a query on the local tradition of in-kind donations to candidates during elections, the observers clarified that such donations may conveniently be skipped from the register entries provided donations are not re-distributed in exchange for votes.

Mention may be made here that District Election Office, Bishnupur had earlier notified to general public, candidates and political parties that election observers who are deputed to the district would be available during office hours to raise any concerns related to the ensuing election.

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