Candidates who failed to furnish expenses will be barred from contesting: CEO

CHENNAI: About 53 candidates who failed to submit their election expenditure statements when they contested last time will be barred from contesting the polls, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo has said.

“The 53 candidates who had contested in the last Assembly election and failed to furnish the poll expenditure statements can’t contest in the election this time,” Mr Sahoo said. Speaking to reporters here on Saturday he said a majority of candidates who had failed to submit the details on the properties owned by them were independent candidates.

Also, the ceiling on poll expenditure for the Lok Sabha election will be Rs. 70 lakhs (per candidate) while it will be Rs. 28 lakh (per candidate) for the Assembly election.

The election commission would take up a door campaign in all the areas that have registered less or poor poll percentage in the previous elections in the state.

“This door campaign will drive home the importance of exercising the franchise. We want all eligible voters to take part in the biggest democratic exercise,” he added.