EC gets complaint on ‘inaccuracies’ in Mahua poll affidavit, expenditure report

The complaint addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar by Shravan Kumar Yadav, who described himself as a “public-spirited person” in the letter, has been received but not reviewed yet, a source in EC said.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Election Commission, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress, TMC, Mahua poll affidavit, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

TMC MP Mahua Moitra

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The Election Commission (EC) has received a complaint alleging that Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s 2019 Lok Sabha election affidavit failed to mention her investments in a financial advisory company, and that her post-election expenditure report to the poll panel had incomplete information.

The complaint addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar by Shravan Kumar Yadav, who described himself as a “public-spirited person” in the letter, has been received but not reviewed yet, a source in EC said.

Moitra was unavailable for a comment.

The complaint alleges that Moitra, MP from Krishnanagar in West Bengal, had not mentioned her 4,900 shares in a company — Villerville Financial Advisors Ltd. — in 2019 election affidavit. In the column for “details of investment in bonds, debentures, shares, units in companies/mutual funds”, she had declared nil, which the complainant said, was in contradiction with the company’s annual returns filed from 2010 to 2022.

“The said wilful non-disclosure of her investments in the election affidavit is a material illegality and the same needs to be inquired into,” the complaint stated.

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It alleged that Moitra’s post-election expenditure report declared a total expenditure of Rs 55.59 lakh, with Rs 99,800 from “own source”, Rs 20 lakh from “party funds” and Rs 23 lakh from donations. “There is no breakup of the remaining funds amounting to Rs 11,59,545 in the affidavit filed…” it said.

Citing Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act, which enables EC to disqualify a person for failure to lodge election expenses in the required time and manner, the complaint stated that submitting “false election expenditures may result in issuance of notice by the EC”.

The complaint was sent by post from South Delhi on April 25. Complainant Yadav told The Sunday Express that he had received the information through RTI replies. He also denied being associated with any political party.

Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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