Thursday, December 13, 2012

EC to disqualify nominees who failed to file 2007 poll expenses


Erring candidates belong to some major national parties, too; names to be announced soon

 Asperthedirectiveissuedbythe Election Commission, those candidates who had failed to submit a detailed account of election expenses during the 2007 polls will be disqualified from contesting the state election in December. 
    According to Election Commission’s additional CEO for Gujarat Sanjiv Kumar said, “In 2007, as per the amendedmodelcodeofconduct,candidates contesting the election were supposed to file a detailed account of the expenses incurred by them in relation to the polls with the commission. However, several of them have failed to do so. Taking note of the same, the EC has announced that such candidates will not be allowed to contest election this year. The names of the erring candidates will be announced shortly by the EC.” 
    Highly-placed sources told Mirror that names of candidates from major political parties are also on the list. “Apart from that, candidates from state-level parties and independents are also on the list of erring politicians,” sources said. 
    As per the new provisions in the model code of conduct, made in 2012, candidateswillhavetoopenaseparate bank account for the election expenses. “The details of the account will have to be submitted with the EC after the election. The candidates will have to make all election-related transaction from this account. Anyone found flouting the rule will be punished,” Kumar said. 
    If the candidates fail to submit the details of the accounts after the election, action will be taken against them. 
GUJARAT MAGAZINE PULLED OUT OF CIRCULATION State election administration on Thursday pulled around 6 lakh copies of state government’s magazine G uja r atout of circulation. The move was in accordance with the Election Commission’s model code of conduct for the impending polls in the state. “G uja r athas a circulation of 12 lakh copies per month. The state government spends Rs 1.5 crore per month to publish the magazine. It consists of news regarding the government, BJP and Chief Minister Narendra Modi,” sources said. Election administration officials said that all district collectors in the state were directed on Wednesday to withdraw copies of the magazine from the market. “Copies have been withdrawn from almost all districts except for a few small ones where they had already been distributed,” officials said.