217 debarred from contesting MC elections for three years

CHANDIGARH: The State Election Commission today debarred 217 candidates who contested elections for various municipal corporations, councils and committees of the state between 2010 and 2014 from contesting any poll for the next three years following their failure to furnish a statement of expenditure incurred in the elections.

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 30

The State Election Commission today debarred 217 candidates who contested elections for various municipal corporations, councils and committees of the state between 2010 and 2014 from contesting any poll for the next three years following their failure to furnish a statement of expenditure incurred in the elections.

The commission had issued show-cause notices to 1,134 candidates, who contested elections to 24 different municipal corporations, councils or committees under 16 different districts of the state for not furnishing expenditure statements.

The State Election Commission has already held meetings in six districts — Faridabad, Panchkula, Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak and Bhiwani — and heard replies of 265 candidates.

Of these, replies filed by 40 candidates were found satisfactory and were accepted, while 217 others had been debarred from contesting any election for the next three years under the provisions of the Haryana Municipal Act, said Dr Dalip Singh, State Election Commissioner, Haryana.

Among the candidates debarred from contesting polls, 65 were from the Faridabad Municipal Corporation, 45 from Ambala, 19 from Panchkula, 38 from Panipat, two from Loharu (Bhiwani), 14 from Siwani (Bhiwani) and 34 candidates from the Kalanaur (Rohtak) Municipal Committee, he said.

Under the Haryana Municipal Corporations Act, 1994, and the Haryana Municipal Act 1973, candidates contesting the poll could spend Rs 75,000 in the election for corporation, Rs 50,000 for council and Rs 35,000 for the municipal committee in 2010.

In 2011, the expenditure limits were increased to Rs 1.25 lakh, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively, which was again raised to Rs 1.75 lakh, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively, in 2013.

Candidates have been giving different kind of excuses like lack of knowledge and illiteracy as reasons for not furnishing information.

“I have no idea of any rules. My husband asked me to sign nomination papers and I became a candidate,” said a woman candidate from Panipat.

Dr Dalip Singh said, “With the state government having prescribed educational qualification for candidates, I am sure illiteracy will no longer remain an excuse in future.”