Election Commission asks Chairman, CBDT for Stronger Expenditure Monitoring in forthcoming Assembly Elections

The Election Commission asks Chairman, CBDT for Stronger Expenditure Monitoring in forthcoming Assembly Elections

The Election Commission had meeting with Mr. Sudhir Chandra, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on February 9, 2011 to oversee the measures taken by CBDT to control the use of money power in elections in the five states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. The Commission expressed satisfaction over the performance of the officers of Income Tax Department during Bihar election and asked the Chairman, CBDT to carry forward the same exercise during the polls in the five States. The CBDT has been asked to keep surveillance in Airports, major hotels, railway stations, financial brokers and hawala operators during election. The Suspicious Cash withdrawal from the banks will also be monitored by CBDT during election. The Commission has asked the Income Tax Department to verify the assets declared in the affidavits by the candidates and to send report to the Commission. 

The Commission had also a separate meeting with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to discuss auditing standards for the political parties. The Election Commission is concerned about the fact that several political parties have neither audited their accounts nor maintained proper books of accounts. Although the donations received by the political parties are exempt from tax, some of the parties are not using the same for party purpose. The Commission had asked the ICAI to apply uniform accounting and audit standards for the political parties and ICAI has agreed to issue comprehensive instructions to their members for efficient auditing of the accounts of the political parties.