The National Election Commission, Nepal issued a deadline for the political parties, which have not submitted their audit report for three consecutive fiscal years 2017/18 – 2019/20, to submit their clarification.
Issuing a statement here on Monday, the National Election Commission, Nepal has asked 46 political parties to submit their clarification letter within seven days.
The commission has asked the concerned parties to submit explanations with valid reasons for not maintaining their accounts and submitting audit reports for three consecutive years.
The commission has asked Ratriya Churebhawar Party, Churebhawar Rastriya Party, Rastriya Trimul Bahujan Samajbadi Party, Akhanda Nepal Party, Lok Dal, Yuba Shakti Nepal Party, Hamro Nepal Party, Rastriya Shivasena Party, Shramik Janata Party, Nepa: Rastriya Party, Nepal Prajatantra Pragatisheel Party, Madhesh Samata Party Nepal, Nepali Congress Rastrabai and Hindu Prajanatrik Party, among others, to submit their written clarifications.
As per the Article 269 of the Constitution and Political Party Act, 2017, the political parties registered with the NEC are required to maintain real accounts of their income and expenditure, appoint a responsible official for this purpose, audit their income and expenditure within six months of the end of the financial year and submit it to the commission within one month after auditing by a licensed auditor in accordance with the law.
Ratriya Churebhawar Party, Churebhawar Rastriya Party, Rastriya Trimul Bahujan Samajbadi Party, Akhanda Nepal Party, Lok Dal, Yuba Shakti Nepal Party, Hamro Nepal Party, Rastriya Shivasena Party, Shramik Janata Party, Nepa: Rastriya Party, Nepal Prajatantra Pragatisheel Party, Madhesh Samata Party Nepal, Nepali Congress Rastrabai and Hindu Prajanatrik
The audit report should contain the specified details and within 45 days of the expiration of the submission period, the commission may order such parties to submit an explanation for not submitting their audit report, the commission stated in its statement.
If any political party is found not keeping an account, audit is not done or audit report is not submitted to the commission and if the explanation is not submitted as demanded by the commission, then a fine of up to Rs. 20,000 can be imposed.
Similarly, a political party that fails to submit an audit report to the commission for three consecutive years may be fined up to Rs.50,000 and ordered to correct such action within six months.
If the fine is not paid or they fail to rectify their action on time, the commission can order such parties not to participate in an immediate election, the commission stated.
According to the NEC, if the offense is committed more than once or the order is not complied within a year or the prescribed fine is not paid, the commission may cancel the registration of such party in accordance with the same Act.
Source : THE RISING NEPAL,
