Lok Sabha 2014: Election Commission reminds BJP, Congress to file returns on state poll expense

NEW DELHI: With the BJP and Congress figuring among the 10 parties that defaulted on submission of expenditure statements for a total of nine state polls held in 2013, the Election Commission has now sent reminders to these parties to file them in the prescribed format at the earliest.

While the Congress has failed to file its expenditure statement for the Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram assembly polls completed, the BJP has defaulted on accounting for its expenses on May 2013 Karnataka poll as well. In fact, two reminders were sent to the BJP on October 10 and November 15 last year for submission of accounts for the Karnataka election.

Other parties that failed to submit their expenditure statements for the May 2013 polls in Karnataka in the prescribed format are AIADMK, Janata Dal (Secular) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). These parties have been sent two reminders since expiry of the due date for filing the accounts (July 22).

As far as accounting for expenses on the November-December polls in five states is concerned, the list of defaulting parties also includes National People's Party and Zoram Nationalist Party of Mizoram. The due date was February 24, 2014.

Interestingly, there are parties that are yet to file their expenditure statements for even the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura state polls held in February 2013. Though the due date was May 17 last year, the CPI, National People's Party, RJD and United Democratic Party have not bothered so far to submit expenditure statements to the EC. This, despite four reminders sent to them on May 29, June 20, September 12 and November 15 last year.

As per rules, political parties are expected to submit a return of the election expenses incurred by them in connection with an assembly poll within 75 days of completion of the election.