By Kumar Vikram
New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS): The Election Commission has updated the list of disqualified persons, having over 1000 people who have failed to submit the election expenditure report to the poll panel.
Among all the states having a total 1091 disqualified persons, Bihar is at the top with 174 whereas 107 such disqualified persons are from Telangana.
These persons have been disqualified under Section 10 A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 which says that if the Election Commission is satisfied that a person has failed to lodge an account of election expenses, it can declare the candidate disqualified for three years from the date of the order.
The list of disqualified candidates has been sent to all returning officers and assistant returning officers for their reference. The Commission has said that the list should be made available to the officials where polls are scheduled in the coming months.
As per rules, every candidate should keep an account of all poll related expenditure between the date of declaration of elections and the date of results. Every candidate should submit details of his election expenses within 30 days.
Contesting candidates are given 30 days to furnish their expenditure before the district collectors after the polls are over. They have to furnish their election expenses before the expenditure monitoring committee.
The Commission has taken several steps to monitor the election expenses of the candidates and has issued comprehensive guidelines in the past and updated them in the "Compendium of Instructions on Election Expenditure Monitoring". It has directed to maintain the day-to-day account register in the prescribed manner and to get it inspected by the election authorities during the election period.
Various monitoring mechanisms are put in place during election to monitor day-to-day election expenditure incurred by the candidate and to check influencing of voters by distribution of cash, liquor, drugs etc. General, Police and Expenditure observers are appointed during the poll period to keep a watch on the entire election process.