Now, poll bank accounts must for candidates: Moily

New Delhi, Nov 22 (ANI): Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily on Monday informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the Election Commission of India has suggested and issued new directives requiring all election candidates to henceforth open exclusive poll bank accounts and have their expenses monitored by shadow expenditure registers.

"The Election Commission of India has issued instructions for monitoring of election expenditure of candidates in on going General election to Legislative Assembly of Bihar-2010 and Bye-election to 27-Banka Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, 333-Nidhauli Kalan and 54-Lakhimpur Assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh," said Moily.

"As per the said instructions, the candidates are required to open a separate bank account for the purpose of all election expenditure and to submit the same before the Returning Officer concerned at the time of filing of nomination. The candidates are required to incur all their expenses except petty minor amounts, through cross account payee cheque from the said account," he added.

Veerappa Moily further said the major items of election expenditure of each candidate would be monitored through a Shadow Observation Register, maintained by the Accounting Team for each constituency, after getting feedback from Video Viewing Team, Video Surveillance Team, Media Expenditure Monitoring Team and other agencies.

"In case of any discrepancy in the amount, the candidates would be informed about such discrepancies at the time of inspection of their Election Expenditure Register by the Expenditure Observers," he added. (ANI)