HYDERABAD: As many as 62 persons who contested the elections in the past, including 17 who fought in the State Assembly polls last year, have been disqualified from seeking re-election either to Parliamentary or Assembly elections up to 2022. They failed to submit their election expenditure details to the Election Commission of India (ECI) after which the decision was taken.
The ECI has issued updated list of 62 disqualified persons, of which 45 contested for Telangana Legislative Assembly and 17 contested for Telangana House of the People under section 10-A of the Representation of people Act, 1951 for the official use of the Returning Officers.
Of the total 62, majority of which are Independents, about 17 persons who contested in the Assembly polls were disqualified for three years (up to January 7, 2022). They were disqualified under Section 10-A of RP, Act, 1951. They were debarred after ECI getting satisfied that these persons have failed to lodge an account of election expenses, within the time and in the manner required.
Candidates who are disqualified will not be able to contest elections for the next three years. Persons thus debarred from contesting election include those who contested election as independents after being denied tickets by the major political parties. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Telangana, Rajat Kumar stated that last month the CEO office had sent letters to the persons who did not submit the details requesting them to send election expenditure details, even after 45 days of polls, the concerned persons failed to submit the details.
Ignored notices
CEO has written a letter to the ECI seeking to take action on the people who did not submit the expenditure details. The ECI Under Secretary, Santosh Kumar on March 8 has a sent letter to CEO, Telangana of debarring 62 persons including earlier and new ones. Now that ECI has taken a decision, the information concerning the status of their candidature will made public on its portal.
As per the ECI list, as many as 15 persons are not entitled to contest up to June 2020, about 30 persons up to January 2021 and 17 candidates up to January 2022 hailing from all districts from Telangana.
As per the law, all candidates who contest elections have to submit details of their expenses in a stipulated format within 45 days after the election results are announced and include details of contributions received from various sources and the money spent on their campaigning.