The Chief Election Commissioner former Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan has reminded the political parties to submit a consolidated statement of their party accounts, audited by a Chartered Accountant, to the Election Commission within 60 days from the close of each financial year.
This statement should be accompanied by a certificate, duly signed by the Party Leader to the effect that no funds from any source, prohibited under the Political Parties Order, 2002, were received by the party and the statement contained an accurate financial position of the party.
The statement should be received at the Election Commission office by August 29 of each year, said a press statement issued here on Sunday.
Every political party was required to maintain its accounts in the manner set out in Form-I attached to the Order indicating its income and expenditure, sources of funds, assets and liabilities.
The Chief Election Commission has also invited the attention of the political parties to Article 6 of the Order, which, inter alia , envisaged that members of the party or its supporters may make voluntary contributions towards the party's funds, which should be duly recorded in the accounts.
However, any contribution made, directly or indirectly, by any foreign government, multi-national or domestically incorporated public or private company, firm, trade or professional association had been prohibited and should be confiscated in favour of the State, subject to the notice to the political party concerned and after giving an opportunity of being heard.
The "contribution or donation" includes a contribution or donation made in cash, kind, stocks, hospitality, accommodation, transportation, fuel and provision of other such facilities.
The political parties may accept contributions and donations only from individuals in terms of Article 6 of the Order.
The Chief Election Commissioner has also invited the attention of the political parties to Article 13 of the Order, which reads thus:
"Information about the sources of party's fund.
(1) Every political party shall, in such manner and in such form as may be prescribed or specified by the Chief Election Commissioner, submit to the Election Commission, within sixty days from the close of each -financial year, a consolidated statement of accounts of the party audited by a Chartered Accountant containing:-
(a) annual income and expenses;
(b) sources of its funds; and
(c) assets and liabilities.
(2) The statement referred to in clause (1), shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by the party leader stating that :-
(a) no funds from party source, prohibited under this Order were received by the party; and
(b) the statement contains an accurate financial position of the party."
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