• ELECTION EXPENDITURE DETAILS
KATHMANDU, JULY 25
The Election Commission has imposed fine on 2,435 candidates - 1,037 parliamentary candidates and 1,398 provincial candidates - for failing to make their election expenditure details public.
A total of 74 candidates - 37 parliamentary and 37 provincial candidates - did not submit their election expenditure details to the EC.
READ: List of those falling foul of poll body
According to EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Paudel, the EC imposed fine of Rs 15,000 on each erring candidate. Paudel said the EC had reminded the candidates of the legal provision that required them to make their election expense details public, but even after the EC's reminder, these candidates ignored the EC, hence the fine as per Section 31(2) of the Election (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2017. Section 31 (4) of this Act, gives the EC the power to impose fine not exceeding Rs 15,000 on candidates who fail to make their election expenditure details public. Section 31 (2) stipulates that candidates will have to make their election expenditure details public for information of the public, as directed by the EC.
Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said the EC imposed fine on erring candidates because election laws must be enforced and since these provisions were aimed at ensuring transparency in the election process and accountability on the part of the candidates, these provisions must be enforced. "If anybody thinks the punitive provisions are not pragmatic, they must seek to remove these provisions from the relevant laws. But as long as these provisions remain in the law, we must enforce," Thapaliya added.
Making election expenditure details public gives the public a reason to questions their candidates about their election expenditure and make them accountable.
He said if any candidate has already made their election expenditure details public, but has not informed the EC yet, they could do so and the EC would take their names off the list of candidates who have been fined.
Thapaliya said the EC had issued notice informing the public that candidates should make their election expenditure details public through media outlets, their own, and their parties' websites or social networking sites.
The relevant laws require candidates to inform the EC about the modes candidates used to make their election expenditure details public so that the EC can verify their information, Thapaliya said.
He said the EC would impose Rs 500,000 fine on those candidates who did not submit election expenditure details at all.
According to Assistant Spokesperson for the EC Surya Prasad Aryal, election laws require candidates to submit their election expenditures details to the EC within 35 days from the day the final election results are announced.
The candidates are also required to make those details public and inform the EC thereof.
"Those candidates who submitted their election expenditure details, but did not inform the public about the same, need to understand that the purpose of the new Election (Offence and Punishment) Act is that candidates should also tell the public how much money they spent during election.
EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Paudel said the EC had imposed fine on candidates and political parties earlier and this decision was another example that showed the EC's resolve to enforce election laws.
The EC has ordered erring candidates to pay their fines within 35 days and make their election expenditure details public within the next seven days. The EC has also warned the candidates that they will be barred from becoming candidates in one election if they fail to pay the fines.
Earlier, the EC had directed candidates to make their election expenditure details public and give details thereof to the district or provincial election offices between April 19 to April 25.
According to EC, out of 2,411 candidates who contested parliamentary elections, only 1,337 made their election expenditure details public and 1,037 candidates did not.
Thirty-seven candidates have not submitted election expenditure details to the EC yet.
Among the 3,225 candidates who contested provincial elections, 1,790 candidates made their election expense details public whereas 1,398 did not do so. Thirty-seven candidates did not submit their election expenditure details.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 26, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
