To ensure a check on electoral malpractices during the poll campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory administration on Sunday asked banks to strictly follow the guidelines of the Election Commission of India regarding election expenditure.
In a meeting with the representatives from various banks operating in district Bandipora, the District Election Commissioner Manzoor Ahmad Qadri discussed the critical role of financial institutions in monitoring and regulating election expenditure as part of the Election Commission's mandate for free and fair elections.
The DEO on the occasion emphasized the importance of maintaining financial integrity throughout the electoral process and directed banks to adhere strictly to the guidelines and procedures of the Election Commission of India to prevent any instances of malpractice or misuse of funds. He directed to exercise heightened vigilance in identifying and reporting any suspicious transactions that could potentially be linked to electoral malpractices.
The DEO highlighted that the effective monitoring of election expenditure is crucial for upholding the integrity of the democratic process, preventing the misuse of financial resources, and providing a level playing field to all parties and candidates.
He highlighted the role of banks in election expenditure monitoring and asked them to monitor unusual transactions and suspicious transactions to ensure elections are held in a fair manner besides banks were directed to open dedicated counters for election purposes to facilitate prompt service to the candidates.
Nodal Officer Expenditure monitoring asked the concerned officers of banks to submit daily reports to the District Election Office regarding the suspicious withdrawal or deposition of cash during elections, and unusual transfer of amounts through RTGS during the election process.
He also asked the bank heads to monitor cash deposits and withdrawals from political parties' bank accounts, in addition to monitoring online and digital transactions.
Political parties asked to follow model code of conduct
To discuss the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct and address key issues related to the upcoming General Assembly Election in the district, the District Election Officer, Udhampur, Saloni Rai, convened a meeting with district heads and representatives of various political parties.
The meeting featured detailed discussions on several aspects of the electoral process which include enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, Election Expenditure Monitoring System, Media Certification & Monitoring Committee, Transport Management and awareness activities under the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program.
During the discussions, the DEO stressed the importance of strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct to ensure free and fair elections. She outlined the responsibilities of political parties and their candidates in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process, urging them to comply with the guidelines established by the Election Commission of India in light of the forthcoming General Assembly Elections, 2024.
Furthermore, district heads and political representatives received hands-on training on various e-apps, including C- Vigil which enables citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Suvidha Candidate App, Voter Helpline App, Know Your Candidate App, SVEEP portal, Affidavit Portal and other applications designed to ensure smooth and transparent elections. The DEO also informed the political representatives about the pre-certification process for paid news and advertisements.
