Election Commission observers find BJP MP, Manshankar Ninama's poll expenses above limit, MP rejects

JAIPUR: Expenditure observers of the Election Commission claimed to have found that the affidavit filed by BJP MP Manshankar Ninama from Banswara with regard to his election expenditure incorrect and the expenditure exceeded the limits but the lawmaker rejected the claim.

The observers in their report claimed "the candidate has not maintained a true and correct account of the expenditure incurred", which attracts disqualification under the provision of 10 A of the Representation of People's Act 1951 for failure to keep election accounts. EC observers Janardhan S and Munesh Kumar claimed Ninama's actual expenditure was over Rs 75 lakh, higher than the limit (of Rs 70 lakh) set for a candidate in Lok Sabha election, and the expenditure register was not maintained in the prescribed manner.

The observers, in their final report on June 21 uploaded on the district CEO's website, reported difference in expenditure with respect to a public rally addressed by Narendra Modi, who was then BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, in support of Ninama in Baneshwar area on April 12. An official of the Election Commission said the hard copy of the report was awaited at the Commission's office here.

"The report may have been uploaded by the district election officer but the physical report is awaited at the office of state chief electoral officer. The report, as we get, would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India for further action", Harishankar Goyal, an officer on special duty in state CEO office, said.

A first-time MP, Ninama rejected the report and claimed the expenditure was within the limits.

"The estimate of the observers is faulty and the election expenditure was within the limits. People from other nearby constituencies of Udaipur and Chittorgarh had also come voluntarily to attend Modi's meeting in Baneshwar", Ninama said.