AMN —
The Election Commission has suspended recognition of the P A Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) – a recognised state party in Meghalaya – for its failure to file the election expenditure statement for last year’s Lok Sabha elections.
An official release issued by the Commission said that in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s judgement in Common Cause Vs Union of India and others case, it had issued instructions to all political parties to file their election expenditure statement within 75 days of assembly elections and 90 days of Lok Sabha elections.
Since the elections to the Lok Sabha and elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, were completed on 28th May last year, the political parties were required to submit their election expenditure statements by 26th of August 2014.
The Commission had issued two reminders to the NPP to submit the required statement after the due date had long expired.
Finally, the poll panel issued a show cause notice to the NPP on 17th of March this year asking why action should not be taken against it.
On receipt of the Notice, the NPP had requested time to submit its expenditure statement by 15th April and again by 15th May, but failed to file the expenditure statement.
The Commission said, it is the first case where recognition of a party has been suspended by it under Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968, for its failure to follow the lawful directions of the Commission.