Chandigarh exception: No action even if expenditure details are not declared

Even if a candidate in the Municipal Corporation elections does not declare his expenditure details, the Election Commissioner cannot take any action in Chandigarh. For, the Ministry of Home Affairs has turned down the proposal for this provision of initiating action and told the UT Election Commission to introduce it only after it is implemented in Punjab.

When asked about the candidates who had not declared their expenditure details during the last elections, State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said that there was no provision of taking any action here in UT.

“It was written to the MHA that the provision of taking action may be initiated here but we were told that let Punjab introduce it first and only then it may be implemented in Chandigarh,” he said.
He added, “In Delhi, one can be disqualified for six years but here there is no such provision.”
Even though the Election Commission is planning to increase the expenditure limit which is Rs 1.75 lakh at present, it would hardly make any difference due to this provision.

According to the election commission, there is no expenditure limit for political parties.