Election Expenditure observer check records maintained by Various Expenditure Monitoring Teams, issues guidelines

16 May 2024, Chandigarh– The Expenditure Observer for Patiala Parliamentary Constituency Mrs Meetu Aggarwal on Thursday directed all flying squads, static surveillance, video surveillance, accounting teams and Assistant Expenditure observers to keep a close eye on the expenditure for election publicity and campaigning to be made by the candidates. Stressing on enhanced vigil on interstate boundaries, she said that the smuggling of liquor or other goods that may be used to induce voters would not be allowed.
Presiding over a review meeting with them in the Meeting Hall, District Administrative Complex, the Expenditure Observer asked the teams to submit the reports on the expenses incurred by the candidates on a daily basis. She said that to keep a close tab over the expenditure incurred by the candidates, the role of FSTs, SSTs, VSTs, VVTs, AEOs and MCMC teams is pivotal to book every penny spent on poll campaign. She asked the flying squads, static surveillance teams, and others to discharge their duties responsibly to ensure free and fair elections.
She insisted upon the better coordination between the officers and the staff who have been appointed to check the expenses.
Moreover, the shadow registers of the candidates who are in poll fray, to be compared with the registers maintained by them thrice. The exercise will be held on regular intervals to ensure that the expenditure could not exceed the limit of 95 lakh.
Nodal office for expenditure-cum-
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Damanjit Singb Mann while apprising the expenditure observer of the progress of Derabassi Teams said that the expenditure being incurred by the candidates in upcoming Lok Sabha elections is being booked in the shadow registers of the candidates regularly.
Assistant Returning Officer-cum-Sub Divisional Magistrate Derabassi, Himanshu Gupta briefed the Expenditure Observer about the progress made by the various teams. He said that a total cash of Rs 70.50 lakh was recovered by FST and SST Teams. Similarly, as many as 22 complaints received on cVigil were disposed of in a timeframe manner.
The Election Expenditure visited the Complaint Monitoring cell to check the status of C Vigil and toll free number 1950. She also reviewed the working of Media Monitoring Cell and asked for being more vigilant to check the paid news and advertisement on electronic as well as social media.