Section 10A of the RPA 1951
Topic: Elections and the Electoral System · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act 1951 deals with election expenses. A candidate must file an account of what they spent on the election. If a candidate fails to do so without a good reason, the Election Commission can disqualify them for three years. The ECI itself takes this decision. The rule helps check money power in elections.
Example
A losing candidate in an assembly election never submits their expense account. The ECI can disqualify them for three years, so they cannot contest the next by-election or election in that period.
Don't confuse with
- Section 8A: disqualification for up to six years for a corrupt practice. Under s.8A the President decides on the ECI's opinion, while under s.10A the ECI decides itself.
- Section 11: lets the ECI remove or shorten a disqualification, including one under s.10A.
Related concepts
- Representation of the People Act 1951
- Conduct of Election Rules 1961
- Right to contest elections
- Section 8A of the RPA 1951
- Section 9A of the RPA 1951
- Section 11 of the RPA 1951
- Contesting from two constituencies
- By-election
- Election petition
- N.P. Ponnuswami case