Engineer Rashid, the recently elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, has been notified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a glaring mismatch in his election expenditure report. The notice, issued by the deputy district election officer in Baramulla, points out a substantial gap between the expenditure figures reported by Rashid’s campaign team and those recorded independently by election observers.
According to the notice, Rashid’s official expenditure register submitted to the Election Commission indicates a total spending of Rs 2.10 lakh during his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. However, the shadow register maintained by Election Commission observers records a significantly higher expenditure, amounting to Rs 13.78 lakh. This stark contrast has raised concerns over the accuracy and transparency of Rashid’s financial disclosures during the electoral process.
Engineer Rashid, incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on charges related to terror funding, has been granted a brief custody parole to attend his swearing-in ceremony scheduled for July 5. Despite his legal challenges, Rashid secured victory in the recent elections, defeating prominent rivals, including Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir.
The notice mandates Rashid or a designated representative to appear before the district expenditure monitoring committee within two days. This appearance aims to clarify the reported discrepancies and ensure the timely submission of a corrected expenditure report to the Election Commission of India. Non-compliance with these directives could potentially lead to severe consequences under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including disqualification from holding electoral office for up to three years.
This development comes amid previous scrutiny regarding Rashid’s financial declarations. His latest election affidavit discloses assets valued at Rs 1.55 crore, a substantial increase from the Rs 80 lakh declared in 2019. His assets include significant holdings such as non-agricultural land in Langate and a residential property in Srinagar valued at Rs 90 lakh. Rashid also declared liabilities totalling Rs 11.31 lakh in home loans and Rs 3.11 lakh on a Kisan Credit Card.
Engineer Rashid, known for his outspoken political stance and controversial actions, has been prominent in Jammu and Kashmir politics. His career has been marked by incidents such as hosting a contentious beef party in 2017, which sparked widespread debate and legal repercussions.
The Election Commission allows a candidate to spend Rs 95 lakhs for poll-related activities during the Lok Sabha elections. The limit for the assembly election for a candidate, however, is Rs 40 lakhs only. However, in some smaller states and union territories, the spending limit for a Lok Sabha candidate is Rs 75 lakhs, and Rs 28 lakhs is for the assembly seat candidate. There is, however, no expenditure limit for the political parties.
While the candidates are required to file the expenditure statement before the Election Commission, the Commission’s observers regularly monitor the expenditure of the candidates on their own as well.
