Candidates to submit election expense accounts by March 15

Candidates contesting the 13th National Assembly elections have been asked to submit their expense accounts. The Election Commission (EC) has sought information in this regard. The information was sought in a letter sent to the Returning Officers on Wednesday (February 25).

The letter states that candidates are required to submit their accounts to the Returning Officer within 30 days of the publication of the election results. And the accounts must be sent to the EC by March 25.

The letter sent to the Returning Officers states that according to Section 44(c) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, all contesting candidates are required to submit their expense accounts to the Returning Officer within 30 days of the publication of the gazette listing the names of the elected candidates. The gazette listing the names and addresses of the elected candidates in the 13th National Assembly elections was published on February 13.

It further said that to ensure the submission of expenditure statements by the contesting candidates, a program should be taken as per Circular-18 issued on the occasion of the 13th National Parliament Election. In addition, the information on the election expenditure returns submitted to the office of the Returning Officer within the stipulated time should be sent to the EC by March 25.

EC officials said that all contesting candidates will have to submit their election expenditure accounts by mid-March. More than 2,000 candidates contested in this election.