Dimapur, May 2 (EMN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has sought clarifications and reasons from the election authorities why an Indian National Congress candidate was ‘issued shortage of polling agent forms’ by the establishment of Nagaland’s chief electoral officer.
The Congress also sought reasons why the expenditure from printing additional polling agent forms by the candidate should be included in the account of the candidate’s election expenditure.
The letter was addressed the chief election commission of India (EC).
The NPCC stated that it had submitted to the commission on April 5 a letter seeking clarification whether printing of polling agent forms by candidates comes under candidate’s election expenditure.
A reply given by the chief electoral officer of Nagaland had stated that “the expenditure incurred by the candidate or political party on printing of forms for appointment of polling agent, if any shall be included in the account of election expenditure,” the letter stated.
The Congress stated that there were 2,227 polling stations for the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 for the Nagaland parliamentary constituency. About 4, 600 polling agent forms are required by each contesting candidate for appointment of two polling agents in each polling station, the NPCC stated.
The establishment of the chief electoral officer of Nagaland was stated to have issued 3,500 polling agent forms on March 26 to the election agent of the Indian National Congress candidate. The Congress stated that there was a shortfall of 1,100 polling agent forms.
“That the INC candidate had to print additional polling agent forms by incurring an expenditure of Rs. 1300 only against the shortage of polling agent forms issued by the office of chief electoral officer, Nagaland,” the letter stated.
“That in view of the above stated facts, the NPCC demands to know the reasons as to why INC candidate was issued shortage of polling agent forms by the office of chief electoral officer, Nagaland, and as to why the expenditure incurred for printing of additional polling agent forms by INC candidate should be included in the account of candidate’s election expenditure.”
