With the Election Commission keeping a strict vigil on expenditure in the Assembly polls, many candidates have roped in tax experts like Chartered Accountants to ensure that their spending remains within the maximum limit.
The CAs are not only helping election candidates in avoiding the “nitty-gritty” of maintaining books of accounts, but also providing them ample time to concentrate on their poll campaigning.
“I am maintaining and keeping the entire record of our candidate so that the election expenditure should not go beyond the ceiling of Rs 16 lakh fixed by the Election Commission,” said Chartered Accountant Anup Jain, who is handling the expenditure of Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from Sahnewal constituency, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.
“Candidates need the assistance of experts like us who can guide them how to spend their money in poll campaigning so that their total expenditure remains under the maximum limit,” Jain told media.
The Election Commission has fixed Rs 16 lakh per candidate as ceiling for poll expenditure for the upcoming Assembly elections and exceeding this limit may cause disqualification of a candidate.
Moreover, under section 10 A of Representation of the People Act, an elected MLA or MP can be disqualified for hiding true electoral expenses.
“Whatever poll expenses we book in our Summary of Expenses is matched by the Election Observer every third or fourth day with the Shadow Observation Register maintained by him to find out whether actual expenditure has been accounted for or not,” said CA Dinesh Sharma, who is taking care of expenses of Congress candidate from Ludhiana-North Rakesh Pandey.
With the Commission tightening its noose to prevent misuse of money power in elections by allowing videographing of poll campaigning, tax experts are of the view that it was almost impossible for candidates to suppress their expenditure during these elections.
Notably, during 2007 assembly elections in Punjab, the average expenditure incurred by 232 winning contestants and first runner-ups stood at Rs 5.11 lakh, way below the ceiling of Rs 10 lakh fixed by the Election Commission.
I have been appointed by Ex DGP who is contesting from Moga constituency but it looks very hard to manage the supporters of any politicians who act without advice from professionals like expenditure planning in advance as well as non communication by the RO and party as well on some issues like payments exceeding Rs. 20,000 in cash. I never faced such problems while representing assessees during assessment proceedings as I face here with observer who takes notified rates as base rate irrespective of prevailing marketing rates for various items of expenditure and incompetancies of video teams to comply with the standing instructions of ECI to take statement of person being viewed and violations of privacy rights of candidates following them on 24×7 basis while ignoring the candidate of Congr*** Party.
What a combination.Is it believable election expenditure is restricted to 16 lacs in India.Everybody knows in runs into Crores…And to SHOW it around 16 lacs the skill (?) of CAs required.Now this is a classic case where politicians once elected through legislation empowers those who hyped or being perceived as guardian of public/pvt accounts.The Nexus which starts at campaigning stage reach at a point which now resembles the mythological character Bhasmasur..And the same ICAI often dares to question MCA decisions under which it functions.Is maintenance of accounts a rocket science.Please see the larger picture where the buck of corruption starts and ends rather than self praising WAH WAH of CAs service in managing poll expenses.