Expenditure Observers hold meeting with representatives of banks

Ludhiana, May 8, 2024: With a view to keep tabs over suspicious banks' transactions as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the Expenditure Observers on Wednesday directed the bank officers to provide details of suspicious transactions during elections.

A meeting in this regard was held at Punjab Agricultural University, here, which was attended by Expenditure Observers for Ludhiana Parliamentary Constituency Pankaj Kumar, IRS and Chetan D Kalamkar, IRS, Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Anmol Singh Dhaliwal besides representatives of all public sector, private sector, cooperative banks of district Ludhiana.

The expenditure observers asked them to report unusual and suspicious cash withdrawal or deposit of cash during the process of election. Asking them for strict compliance of the ECI directions, the Expenditure Observers said that unusual transfer of amount by RTGS from one bank account to the accounts of several persons in a district/constituency during the poll process without any precedent of such transfer, should be reported. 

Any deposit of cash or withdrawal of cash from bank accounts of candidates or spouses or his dependents, as mentioned in the affidavit filed by candidates must also be reported. Further, the withdrawal of cash and deposit of cash in the account of political party during the election process besides any other suspicious cash transactions, which might be used for bribing the elections, should be reported, they added.

They said that banks falling in Ludhiana South, Gill and Atam Nagar assembly segments must give special focus as these are expenditure sensitive assembly segments.

Further the bank officials were appealed to facilitate the candidates in opening a separate bank account for contesting the elections. It is mandatory for the candidates to open a separate bank account for contesting elections as per the guidelines of the ECI.