TMC candidate laments poll watchdog’s inaction

SHILLONG, Jan 10: Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from the Nongkrem seat Joanes Lamare on Tuesday lamented that although the National People’s Party (NPP) has not filed its statements of election expenditure for 10 general elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not initiated any action against it.
In a social media post, Lamare said these include 2018 Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram elections; 2019 Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand elections, 2020 Bihar elections, 2021 Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal elections and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
He said it was clear from the three letters which the ECI had written to the NPP, directing it to file its election expenditure statements.
“It is a requirement under law to mandatorily file Statements of Election Expenditure within 75 days of the conclusion of Assembly elections and 90 days of the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections. Failure to file the same is punishable with suspension or de-recognition of the political party in accordance with Para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968,” the TMC candidate posted.
However, despite such repetitive and habitual defiance, the ECI has not initiated any action against the NPP, he further wrote.
“In fact, the ECI chose to remain a mute spectator which is tantamount to dereliction of duty. This also amounts to a special treatment for a single political party since enforcement of rules has been completely avoided,” he added.
Stating that he had written to the ECI on December 19, 2022 seeking actions against the NPP, he said, “I have not yet received a response.”