Assembly elections 2022: EC directs candidates to mention expenditure on digital campaigning
New Delhi: With the Assembly elections 2022 scheduled in five states — Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh — the Election Commission has added a new column in candidates’ election expenditure returns to submit information on money spent on digital campaigning.
Earlier also, the candidates would mention money spent on digital campaigning, but this time a dedicated column has been created for the same. Amid rising cases of Covid-19, the Election Commission has banned physical rallies and roadshows and similar physical campaigning till January 22. Parties are now using digital and online platforms to reach out to voters.
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The new column has been created for the first time for elections in Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur by tweaking the format of returns.
“Parties and candidates (so far) used to disclose on their own such expenditure ... they used to provide details of expenditure on things like digital vans ... they used to show expenditure under this category. Now, a dedicated point has been created to capture such expenditure from this (set of) polls,” a functionary explained.
The functionary said it is not for the first first time such disclosure by the candidates and parties will be made. “But the manner of disclosure now is dedicated,” the functionary added.
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-PTC News
