I-T sleuths to scrutinise expenses of Lok Sabha candidates

NEW DELHI: The winning candidates and the runners-up in the coming parliamentary polls will have to pass the scrutiny of Income Tax department immediately after the results are declared.


Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman R K Tewari said on Monday that the I-T department has started scrutiny of I-T returns of successful candidates and others in recent assembly elections and the drive will cover the newly-elected MPs.

The I-T department, with the help of the Election Commission, has devised some guidelines where selective politicians are picked up by I-T officials for scrutiny. Their returns are matched with the assets details furnished by them before the EC. Candidates' expenditure in polls is also verified with their financial status.

K V Chowdhary, Member Investigation in CBDT, said the department had earlier carried out scrutiny for candidates who participated in recent assembly elections. "These reports were submitted to the EC," he said but refused to divulge if the I-T scrutiny resulted in some tax disclosure.

"It is not possible to assess each and every affidavit given the number of candidates across constituencies," Chowdhary said. The official said the I-T department has devised a procedure with the EC that will prioritise those cases which are referred by the poll body.

The purpose of matching affidavits with I-T returns is to check abnormal increase in candidates' income as compared to the last time and existence of assets on ground. "We will also initiate action in those cases where there is a prima facie evidence that the candidate has furnished wrong details," Chowdhary said.