The Election Commission has sent letters to all twelve political parties, who contested in 10th parliamentary election, issuing a warning for not submitting their polls expenditure return to the commission in due time.
The letters, signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mihir Sarwar Morshed, were sent to general secretary or secretary general of the respective parties.
“The commission sent letter to political parties asking to submit their polls expenditure within the next 30 days,” Sarwar said while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.
Ruling Awami League, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Jatiya Party (JP Manju), Tariqat Federation, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), Gonotontri Party, National Awami Party (NAP), Gonofront, Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Islami Front participated in the 10th parliamentary election.
According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), party-based election expenditure return must be submitted to the commission within 90 days of the gazette publication of the polls.
The gazette of 10th parliamentary poll was published on January 8.
However, the commission published last gazette for the re-elections in two centres in Kurigram 4 parliamentary constituency on January 23.
The twelve political parties were supposed to submit their election expenditure return to the commission by April 23 as per the law, the letter stated.
“If any party does not submit the party-based election expenditure return within this time frame, the party can submit the polls expenditure return to the commission in next 15 days following a Tk10,000 fine,” it added.
However, if any party does not submit the returns, the commission has the right to cancel the party’s registration.
As per the law, if 50 candidates of any party contest in the polls, they are allowed to spend Tk75 lakh to the maximum. Similarly, a party can spend Tk1.5 crore to the maximum for 100 candidates, Tk3 crores to the maximum for 200 candidates and Tk 4.5 crores to the maximum for 300 candidates for all constituencies.
