The Election Commission has warned all the 12 contestant political parties in the January 5 parliamentary elections for failing to submit return of polls expenses in the stipulated time.
Giving one month’s time to the political parties, the commission asked the parties to place their return of election expenses by May 23. Otherwise, they face legal measures, EC source said.
The EC on Sunday sent a letter signed by its Deputy Secretary Mihir Sarwar Morshed to general secretaries of the parties, including ruling Awami League and opposition Jatiya Party.
The ten other parties are Workers’ Party, Jasad, Tarikat Federation, BNF, Jatiya Party-JP, Ganatontri Party, NAP, Gano Front, Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Islami Front.
The 12 contestant parties were legally obliged to submit return of polls expenditure by April 23 as the last gazette of the 10th parliamentary elections results (Kurigram-4 election) result was published on January 23.
The 12 participated in the January 5 parliamentary elections which went largely uncontested. But none of the parties submitted the return statement of election expenses yet.
As per clause 44 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) 1972, every political party nominating any candidate for election shall submit to the Commission, for its scrutiny, within ninety days of the completion of election in all constituencies.
If the political parties will not submit the return within the 30 days given by the Election Commission (by May 23), they will get more 15 days to place the statement of polls expenditure on condition of giving fine of Tk 10,000. Even then if the parties fail to submit the statement to the EC, the commission will have legal authority to cancel the registration of the defaulted parties.
As per the law, there is Tk 75 lakh ceiling of polls expenditure for the party with maximum 50 candidates, while Tk 1.5 crore for the party with 100 candidates, Tk 3 crore for the party with 200 candidates and Tk 4.5 crore for the party with 300 candidates.
Source: UNBConnect
