Shri Rajiv Kumar Shri Anup Chandra Pandey Shri Arun Goel

Date: 20-01-2023 To, Shri Rajiv Kumar Chief Election Commissioner Election Commission of India (ECI) Shri Anup Chandra Pandey Election Commissioner Election Commission of India (ECI) Shri Arun Goel Election Commissioner Election Commission of India (ECI) Subject: Non-availability of the Election Expenditure Reports of JDU and JDS for the Karnataka Assembly Elections, 2018 Dear Sir (s), 1. [...] The Election Expenditure statements of the two Regional Parties namely, Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United) are not available on the Election Commission of India's website for the 2018 State Assembly Election to Karnataka. [...] [(1996) 2 SCC 308 had directed all political parties to file before the Election Commission of India the account of expenditure insured or authorized by a political party in connection with the election of its candidates during the course of elections. [...] The expression "conduct of election" in Article 324 of the Constitution of India is wide enough to include in its sweep, the power of the Election Commission to issue - in the process of the conduct of elections - directions to the effect that the political parties shall submit to the Commission for its scrutiny, the details of the expenditure incurred or authorized by the political parties in con. [...] Given that the next State Assembly Election is due this year and both political parties are recognised state parties and play a crucial role in the electoral politics of the state of Karnataka, it is important that the data is made available at the earliest.