· INFORMED THE POLITICAL PARTIES ABOUT POLL EXPENDITURE
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 8: The Election Commission of India today sought cooperation of all political parties to conduct free and fair Vidhan Sabha polls 2012 and also issued instructions besides requisite poll expenditures.
Presiding over a meeting with the representatives of various political parties, Director General Election Commission of India Mr. Akshay Raut and Director General of Election Expenditure Monitoring Wing Mr. P.K. Dash flanked by Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu, Chief Electoral Officer Punjab sought cooperation from all political parties to conduct free elections in Punjab. They said that Election Commission would minutely monitor all the poll expenditures of candidates besides investigating the choppers, which would be used by star campaigners during election campaign.
On the issue of Dummy candidates, Mr. Dash informed that if the vehicles of Dummy candidates would find operational in the campaign of other candidates, the election expenditure of Dummy candidates would be added into election account of the candidates using vehicles and resources of dummy candidates.
Mrs. Usha R. Sharma, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Punjab, said that opening of election account would be mandatory for all candidates and the transactions above than Rs 20,000 would be made through cheques only. She informed that as per the directions of Election Commission of India, Expenditure Monitoring Committees and Flying Squads would remain operational during code of conduct period while a separate Control Room would also be setup at Chandigarh. She said that people could register their complaints regarding any violations of code of conduct and directions issued by ECI. She said that masses can register their plaints through toll free number 1950.
Revealing the total amount of poll expenditure, Mrs. Sharma said that maximum limit of poll expenditure would be Rs 16 lakh. Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh Joint chief electoral officer also addres the participents.
Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included Mr. Kirpal Singh Badungar of Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Ranjit Singh CPI, Mr. Parkash Singh Jandali BSP, Mr. Mohan Lal Sethi BJP, Captain Sandeep S. Sandhu Congress and Mr. Ram Sharan Singh of Nationalist Congress Party.
