EC disqualifies 10 J&K candidates for 3 years

SRINAGAR, MAY 26: The Election Commission of India has disqualified ten candidates who had contested the 1998 Lok Sabha elections from Ba...

SRINAGAR, MAY 26: The Election Commission of India has disqualified ten candidates who had contested the 1998 Lok Sabha elections from Barmulla and Jammu Parliamentary Constituencies for their failure to submit their poll expenditure accounts.

According to a press release issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, S V Bhave, the candidates concerned had failed to lodge any account of election expenses in time or in the manner specified by law as required under Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The candidates include Din Mohammad Chichi (Cheeta) Loan-Hari, Kupwara, (1-Baramulla), Sheikh Ab Rehman, Machipora Handwara,(1-Baramulla), Safeudin Khan, Avra Kupwara, (1 Barmullah), Nazir Ahmad Zargar, Old Barzalla, Srinagar, (1 Barmulla), Ghulam Qadir Shah, Kangan, (1 Barmullah), Syed Haadi, Chundapora, Budgam, (1-Baramulla), Ghulam Mohammad Malla, Sonim, Pattan, (1 Baramulla), Vidhi Sharna Singh, 155 Pacca Danga, Jammu, and Prem Nath, Gali Padhian, Mohalla Malhotrian, (6-Jammu).

Story continues below this ad

Further, the candidates did not furnish any reason or satisfactory explanation for their failure to submit accounts even after due notice of the Election Commission of India. The Commission, after giving due consideration to the representations made by these candidates, have concluded that there is no good reason or justification for the failure on the part of the candidates to lodge the accounts of the election expenses.

The Commission, as per its order dated May 7 May, 1999, has declared that these candidates should be disqualified from being chosen as and from being a member of either House of the Parliament or of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council for a period of three years from the date of order.