NEW DELHI, June 17 � The Election Commission (EC) has suspended recognition of the PA Sangma-led National People�s Party (NPP) for its failure to file the election expenditure statement for last year�s Lok Sabha elections.
The EC on Tuesday said that in pursuance of the Supreme Court�s judgement in Common Cause Vs Union of India and others case, it had issued instructions to all political parties to file their election expenditure statement within 75 days of Assembly elections and 90 days of Lok Sabha elections.
Since the elections to the Lok Sabha and elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, were completed on May 28 last year, the political parties were required to submit their election expenditure statements by August 26, 2014.
The Commission had issued two reminders to the NPP to submit the required statement after the due date had long expired.
Finally, the poll panel issued a show cause notice to the NPP on March 17, this year, asking why action should not be taken against it.
On receipt of the notice, the NPP had requested time to submit its expenditure statement by April 15 and again by May 15, but failed to file the expenditure statement.
The Commission said, it is the first case where recognition of a party has been suspended by it under Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968, for its failure to follow the lawful directions of the Commission.
