All candidates in the upcoming elections in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will have to open new bank accounts from which alone they can spend campaign money.
Announcing this on Saturday, chief election commissioner SY Qureshi said this would help facilitate monitoring election expenditure.
"Candidates would be required to open a separate bank account and incur their election expenses from that very account," Qureshi told a news conference.
"Flying squads", video surveillance teams and income tax officers would monitor the money spend by candidates and political parties, he said.
"The format for filing of affidavits regarding criminal background, assets, liabilities and educational qualification of candidates has been modified," he said.