Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) are the only two National Parties which have not yet submitted details of the expenditure incurred by the parties during the Lok Sabha 2014 elections to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Among the recognised regional parties, only 24 parties out of a total of 49 parties have submitted their Lok Sabha election expenditure statements so far.
The Supreme Court of India, in its judgement of Common Cause Vs. Union of India, dated 4th April, 1996, had stated “…the political parties shall submit to the Election Commission, for its scrutiny, the details of the expenditure incurred or authorized by the parties in connection with the election of their respective candidates.” The Supreme Court also stated that the ECI would be justified in asking political parties to file an account of their expenditure incurred or authorised by the parties in connection with the election of its candidates during the course of elections.
Hence, the ECI stipulated a time period of 90 days within which all National and Recognised parties need to submit the expenditure the parties incurred during Lok Sabha elections. As the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared on 16th May, 2014, the parties should have filed their expenditure statements on or before 14th of August 2014.
According to a note on the website of the ECI, as of 8th September, 2014, INC, BJP and CPI were the three defaulting National Parties along with 46 regional parties which had not filed their statements of election expenditure to the Commission.
The Supreme Court of India, in its judgement of Common Cause Vs. Union of India, dated 4th April, 1996, had stated “…the political parties shall submit to the Election Commission, for its scrutiny, the details of the expenditure incurred or authorized by the parties in connection with the election of their respective candidates.” The Supreme Court also stated that the ECI would be justified in asking political parties to file an account of their expenditure incurred or authorised by the parties in connection with the election of its candidates during the course of elections.
Hence, the ECI stipulated a time period of 90 days within which all National and Recognised parties need to submit the expenditure the parties incurred during Lok Sabha elections. As the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared on 16th May, 2014, the parties should have filed their expenditure statements on or before 14th of August 2014.
According to a note on the website of the ECI, as of 8th September, 2014, INC, BJP and CPI were the three defaulting National Parties along with 46 regional parties which had not filed their statements of election expenditure to the Commission.
