EC issues notice to 6 political parties for not filing expenditure statements for LS polls

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday issued showcause notices threatening de-recognition of six political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), for failing to file their expenditure statements for the last Lok Sabha polls.

Issuing a stern warning to these parties, the poll-panel has invoked the provisions of section 16(A) of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order which empowers the Commission "to suspend or withdraw recognition of a recognised political party" for violation of set norms, even as it gave these parties a final window of 20 days to comply.

The parties, who have been issued the notices, include the AAP, Peoples Party of Arunachal, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Kerala Congress (M), National People Party of Manipur and Haryana Janhit Congress (BL).

The EC has taken the decision after two of its earlier "reminders" in this regard to these parties went unacknowledged, sources said.

According to rules, all political parties who have contested the General Elections are stipulated to file their expenditure statements within a period of 90 days to the EC, failing which they stand to lose their election symbol and thereby their recognition.

The EC had earlier issued reminders to these parties on October 22 and November 28 last year and since it did not receive the said expenses statements from these parties, it chose to issue the "final showcause" notices.