28 officers appointed as expenditure observers

Vijayawada: State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha clarified that candidates contesting local body elections must not spend beyond the expenditure limit prescribed by the State Election Commission (SEC).

The election commissioner has issued orders appointing 28 IFS officers as expenditure observers for 28 districts and held a meeting with them on Friday to review election expenditure monitoring and related arrangements.

During the meeting, he instructed the observers to ensure daily monitoring of candidates’ election expenditure from the date of filing of nominations until the completion of the election process. He also directed them to guide Returning Officers to provide candidates with the prescribed formats for recording election expenditure, free of cost and within the stipulated time.

He said that every contesting candidate must submit details of their total election expenditure to the State Election Commission through District Election Officer within 45 days of the declaration of election results.

The commissioner directed the expenditure observers to ensure that candidates, their agents and the general public do not face any inconvenience at polling stations. He also instructed them to coordinate with the district police authorities and make adequate security arrangements to maintain law and order.

The observers were asked to continuously monitor political representatives to prevent violations of the Model Code of Conduct. He urged the need to remain vigilant against violations of election rules and take appropriate action to ensure compliance.

He further instructed that the supply of liquor must be stopped 48 hours before the hour fixed for closure of polling in municipalities and 44 hours in case of gram panchayats. He directed the observers to coordinate with the police and excise department officials to prevent the illegal supply and sale of liquor during the election period.

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M V Syam Sundar

M V Syam Sundar[email protected]