Joint accounts no prerequisite for jailed candidates: EC

The Election Commission has said jailed candidates will not be required to open a joint bank account with their poll agents for showing their poll expenses.

The Election Commission has said jailed candidates will not be required to open a joint bank account with their poll agents for showing their poll expenses. Their poll agents alone can open a bank account for this purpose.

Joint CEO Anita Meshram said according to changed rules,the poll agent of a jailed candidate can open the bank account in his name and the same account can be used for all the expenses of the candidate.

Meshram said that bank officials were insisting on the physical presence of the jailed candidates for opening an account. Therefore,the EC has allowed the poll agents of such candidates to open the account in their names for their election related expenses.

On Thursday,which was the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of the elections,494 nominations were filed. A total of 1,017 candidates have filed their nominations for the first phase of the elections in 55 Assembly constituencies of ten districts. The first phase elections will be held on February 8. Scrutiny of the nominations will take place on Friday and January 23 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Among those who filed their nomination on Thursday are former BSP minister Daddan Mishra,who filed his nomination on the BJP ticket from Bhinga seat of Shrawasti.

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