TN poll body sets new expense limit for aspirants of urban local body elections

The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (SEC) has fixed the expenditure limit for each candidate in the urban local body elections.

An aspirant for councillor’s post in Chennai Corporation can spend a maximum of ₹90,000 and a ward member contesting a town panchayat or third grade municipality election can spend up to ₹17,000.

A candidate contesting the post of a councillor in a second-grade municipality is allowed to spend a maximum of ₹34,000, and a candidate contesting for a councillor’s post in a selection as well as special grade municipality will be allowed to spend up to a maximum of ₹85,000.  This will be the maximum amount for candidates contesting in corporations other than Chennai.

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As per Section 49 (2-A) of Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 and rules of other local panchayat and municipalities Act, every contesting candidate shall have to file his/her accounts of election expenses within 30 days from the date of declaration of results.

“Every contesting candidate at an election shall, within thirty days from the date of declaration of the result of the election, lodge with the officer as specified by the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, an account of election expenses which shall be a true copy of the account kept by him or by his election agent,” said a senior SEC official.

If a candidate fails to lodge an account of election expenses within the prescribed time, the State Election Commission will serve a show-cause notice seeking the candidate’s disqualification.

On receipt of this notice, within 20 days in case of rural local bodies and 20 days in case of urban local bodies, the candidate shall submit the accounts, along with his explanation for the non-submission of accounts.

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“If the SEC is satisfied that a person has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by can declare him to be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member or chairperson for a period of three years from the date of the order,” said the official.

Any candidate, who fails to file a statement of election expenses account to the appropriate authorities, either by himself or by his election agent, and who has exceeded the prescribed ceiling amount, shall be deemed to have indulged in a corrupt practice under the relevant sections of the Act.