P A Sangma's party failed to file election expenditure for 2014 polls

NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented action, the Election Commission on Tuesday suspended the recognition of National People's Party , floated by former Speaker P A Sangma in 2013, as a state party in Meghalaya for failing to file its election expenditure statement for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

This is the first time that the poll panel has exercised its powers under Para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 to suspend the recognition of a party for failing to furnish its poll expenditure statement within the stipulated 90 days for Lok Sabha polls or 75 days for an assembly election.

Suspension of a party's recognition, which restrains it from fighting polls on its reserved symbol, is a temporary action short of withdrawal of recognition. The NPP may now explain the reasons for its failure to honour the commission's instructions. In case the EC finds the explanation satisfactory, it may restore its recognition as a state party .

Sources in the commission said NPP was the only recognized party that was yet to file its expenditure statement for the 2014 parliamentary polls. “Though there were other parties that failed to file expenditure statements within the August 26, 2014, deadline, they have responded to EC's reminders since and fallen in line," an EC functionary told TOI.

The move is seen as a stern message to all recognized national and state parties, which often overshoot the deadline for filing poll expenditure statements, sometimes by years, to show more respect to the EC's directions aimed at financial transparency . It is also meant as a wake-up call to political parties to take the commission's instructions seriously .
The EC had, in pursuance of a Supreme Court order in the case of Common Cause vs Union of India and others, earlier issued instructions to all parties to file their expenditure statements within 90 days for Lok Sabha polls and 75 days for assembly polls. Though the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were completed on May 28 and parties were due to file their expenditure statement by August 26, 2014, the NPP failed to honour the deadline. The commission's two reminders asking the party to submit the required statement long after the due date also went unheeded.

Finally, the EC issued a notice to the party on March 17 to show cause why action should not be taken under the poll symbols order. The NPP sought time until April 15 and, subsequently, until May 15 to submit accounts but failed to do so. The EC on Tuesday decided against showing further leniency towards the party and suspended its recognition.