New Delhi: The issue of `cash garlands` has caused concerns to the Election Commission, which will soon set
up a high-level expenditure watchdog.
An "Expenditure Monitoring Division" is being created
with senior officials of the Income Tax Department manning it,
Election Commissioner SY Quraishi said.
"The new division shall be in position in the next few
months," he said, indicating the new mechanism will be in
place before the assembly elections in Bihar due by November.
He said the new division will maintain the expenditure
statements of parties and candidates and take follow up
action.
Noting that cash garlands is an "old phenomenon", he said
the question of scale and magnitude has now changed.
"The money in cash garlands will come under the category
of donation to political parties. Since there is no election
right now, it does not seem to be in violation of the election
law," Quraishi said.
At the same time, he said, this has to be accounted for
by the political parties at the time of filing their returns
to avail any tax benefit.
"We are concerned about use of money power, it needs to
be controlled," the Election Commissioner said, suggesting
that beyond a point the poll panel was helpless as "money
changes hands secretly".
He said the Model Code of Conduct does help in curbing
the menace of freebies like liquor, sarees and dhoties to lure
voters.
On the ensuing Bihar Assembly polls, Quraishi said the EC
has taken enough safeguards to ensure free and fair polls and
noted that the people have became "more wiser".
"We do not anticipate any extraordinary measures or
extraordinary problems which are different from the last two
elections in Bihar," he said.
Talking in general, he said there is a need for
increasing the percentage of polling by ensuring greater voter
turnout, especially in urban areas.
As regards voter turnout, the metropolitan cities pose a
matter of concern especially those areas where educated people
live, he said.
The Commission recently set up an Information, Education
and Communication Division to create awareness among voters
about their rights and to enrol all eligible voters, he said.
The issue of photo electoral rolls is also needed to be
pursued as 23 percent of the estimated 70 crore voters are
yet to be enrolled.
Similarly, the coverage of Electoral Photo Identity Cards
stood at 82 percent, Quraishi said.
PTI
