Last Updated: 18 Jun, 2022 05:35 AM
Published: 18 Jun 2022 05:35 AM
Last Updated: 18 Jun 2022 05:35 AM
New Delhi: Candidates should be barred from contesting in two constituencies in elections. Otherwise, the Election Commission has urged the federal government to impose hefty fines on candidates who win in two constituencies and cause by-elections.
The Representation of the People Act was amended in 1996 to restrict contesting in more than two constituencies.
In 2004, the Election Commission called for an amendment to the Representation of the People Act to ban more than one constituency.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recently discussed the matter with the Union Law Ministry Secretary. He reiterated the recommendation made in 2004.
If he fails to contest more than two constituencies, he will have to pay a hefty fine or incur the cost of the by-election if he wins both constituencies and resigns in one constituency and causes by-elections, the Election Commission said in a statement.
The Federal Law Commission has backed a plan to ban candidates from contesting more than one constituency. However, the Law Commission did not accept another option of the Election Commission requiring the winning candidates in both the constituencies to deposit an amount equal to the by-election expenses.
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