Poll panel to keep an eye on Team Anna

The Election Commission will monitor expenses of Team Anna during the upcoming state assembly elections but the candidates will be in problem only if the team members seek votes for them.

The Election Commission will monitor expenses of Team Anna during the upcoming state assembly elections but the candidates will be in problem only if the team members seek votes for them.

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Team Anna has announced a campaign against Congress in five states for introducing a "weak" lokpal bill in Parliament.

"If we campaign against a party, we don't have a problem," Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi told HT and advised the team not to do so on the issue of propriety. "I have told them (Team Anna) that people may raise question of propriety if they campaign against a party".

The election law is clear that if a person campaigns in favour of a candidate, the expenditure is added to that of the candidate. For that written permission of the candidate is required. "If there is no written permission, then it is violation of the Indian Penal Code," the CEC said.

"If they say that don't vote for a party, they are not violating any law. But at the same time if they say don't vote for X, vote for Y then they are campaigning for Y. Then it invites all the action," he added.

Quraishi said that expenses of all individuals during the campaign, including Team Anna, will be monitored as per the regular exercise of the commission.

Even if election commission finds Team Anna at fault, the fine they can impose is just Rs 50.