Congress rejects Election Commission ideas on cleaner poll funds

The Congress party and the UPA’s proposed ordinance seeking to protect convicted politicians’ careers may have been halted in its tracks, but the party has not fought shy of rejecting the Election Commission’s suggestions on better transparency in funding of political parties. In response to a letter from the EC seeking the views of all parties regarding bringing better transparency and accountability to their finances, the Congress has said it favours maintaining the status quo. [caption id=“attachment_117953” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The EC has made suggestions for more transparency. Reuters[/caption] The only other national party to have responded to the EC is the CPI, which agreed to all proposals made by the EC barring a few. A report in The Times of India  said the EC had suggested that all donations in excess of Rs 20,000 to political parties be acknowledged. “The EC is mulling issuing instructions to the parties to submit to it the audited accounts — along with the contribution report — before September 30 every year or ahead of the due date for filing returns to the income tax department,” the report said. The BJP, CPM, BSP and NCP are yet to respond with their views. Among the regional parties, the AIADMK, Trinamool Congress, Zoram Nationalist Party and Sikkim Democratic Front have reportedly backed the EC’s proposals.