SHILLONG, Sep 7: Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Saket Gokhale once again hit out at the NPP, this time petitioning Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor alleging that the latter had violated an order of the Supreme Court by not submitted its election expenditure report for the 2018 Assembly elections.
In a letter addressed to Kharkongor, the TMC leader said that as per the order of the Supreme Court, political parties are required to file their election expenditure reports with the Chief Electoral Officer of the concerned state within 75 days of the assembly election or 90 days of the Lok Sabha elections.
“It is shocking that the NPP has not filed its election expenditure report for the Meghalaya Assembly Elections, 2018, till date with the Election Commission of India (ECI),” Gokhale said while adding that a perusal of the ECI website shows that the required expenditure report by NPP for the 2018 Meghalaya Assembly Elections has neither been filed nor been uploaded in the last four years.
“The next Assembly elections in Meghalaya are tentatively scheduled for early-2023. Therefore, this is not only a major violation of the law by the NPP but also a serious lapse by the ECI that the expenditure report has not been filed by NPP,” he pointed out.
He also asked the CEO to explain why no action has been taken by the ECI against the NPP and also whether any show cause notice has been issued to the NPP for the violation and disobedience of the law.
Asking Kharkongor to initiate immediate action against the NPP under para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 and other relevant sections which may extend to disqualification or de-recognition of the party, Gokhale said an action-taken report must be submitted by the CEO within 7 working days.
