EC disqualifies 3,423 candidates for non-filing of expenses

Election Commission has disqualified 3,423 candidates for not filing the details of the expenses incurred during the last Lok Sabha or recent assembly polls which they contested.
    
Of them, a major chunk of 1,075 candidates are from Uttar Pradesh and 616 from Bihar who had contested the assembly polls in these two states respectively.

They have been disqualified for three years, the EC said, adding that almost 99 per cent of the candidates were independents.

Noting that after elections every candidate was required to file an account of expenses, the EC said if candidates did not comply, showcause notice would be served and action taken under the Representation of the People Act.
    
Section 10A of the Act states that if the EC is satisfied that a person has failed to submit an account of expenses within the timeframe and has no good reason or justification, it can disqualify that person for three years from the date of the order.
    
Interestingly, seven candidates, who had contested the Lok Sabha polls, were disqualified in Uttar Pradesh, which has the maximum number of 80 seats. In Bihar, 15 candidates were disqualified.
    
Outer Delhi Lok Sabha seat and Deeg assembly constituency in Rajasthan saw one candidate each being disqualified for not filing the accounts.

Announcing the schedule for the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Commission said Income Tax sleuths would keep a close watch on the poll expenses of the candidates.

Officials from the Income Tax will be posted on poll duty and will report to the Election Commission for followup action, according to Chief Election Commissioner-designate Navin Chawla.
    
A cell comprising experts drawn from Income Tax department is planned to be set up in the Commission to deal with information on poll expenses of candidates.