Keep account of poll expenditure: U.P. CEO to candidates

Political parties will have to take permission from the concerned returning officer for holding rallies, processions and public meetings, said Navdeep Rinwa

Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa said has those contesting Lok Sabha election should keep proper account of their poll expenditure. “The examination of the election expenditure account is mandatory,” he said.

UP CEO held a meeting with representatives of recognised political parties in Lucknow on March 18. (For Representation)

In a meeting with representatives of recognised political parties held on Monday, the CEO informed them about the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the Lok Sabha polls. Political parties should provide the list of star campaigners to the ECI and the CEO within seven days after notification is issued.

“The candidates will be able to use vehicles for election campaign only after obtaining permission from the returning officer. The candidates will have to give information about their social media account, e-mail ID in the affidavit submitted with the nomination papers,” Rinwa said.

Political parties will have to take permission from the concerned returning officer for holding rallies, processions and public meetings, he added. The CEO told the representatives of political parties that in Uttar Pradesh, the maximum limit for assembly election has been fixed at ₹40 lakh and for Lok Sabha it is ₹95 lakh.

“It is mandatory for the candidate to make all receipts and payments of more than ₹10,000 through banks. The candidate should keep proper account of his election expenses,” he said.

“The recognised political parties will have to submit the party’s election expenditure account in the prescribed format to the ECI and unrecognised political parties to the CEO within 90 days of the declaration of results of the Lok Sabha election,” the CEO added.

“The pre-certification of political advertisements, paid news monitoring, reporting and monitoring of media violations will be done by media certification and monitoring committee (MCMC). All advertisements will be aired on electronic media only after certification by MCMC. If information about a suspected case of paid news is received from MCMC at the state level or district level, the returning officer will issue a notice to the candidate within 96 hours,” he said.