New Delhi, October 19
All political parties in Punjab must stick to the Election Commission’s guidelines on the use of money in the coming Assembly elections or face its wrath.

The Commission is determined to curb excessive use of money and black money in all the five poll-bound states. Apart from Punjab, the Assembly polls are due in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

The Commission has issued a set of comprehensive expenditure and monetary control instructions to be implemented by the political parties, Akshay Rout, Director General at the Commission, told The Tribune.

He said the commission held a meeting with representatives of all political parties in the five states on Monday in which they were briefed on the expenditure control measures and asked to strictly follow them. Filing of wrong accounts by candidates might result in their disqualification for a period of three years.

They were also told about new measures put in place by the Commission to curb the menace of paid news, which has become a major issue in Punjab.

The latest instructions have taken into account the experience in the Bihar elections in October last year and the subsequent polls.

Asked if the Commission was considering holding the polls in the five states simultaneously, Rout was evasive, saying the Commission has taken due preparatory action in respect of elections. The Commission members has already visited the states concerned to review election preparedness with the election machinery, political parties and other stake holders.

Necessary instructions have been issued to the Chief Electoral Officers of different states for conducting a free and fair electoral exercise.

Informed sources, meanwhile, said the Commission has not taken any decision on holding polls in Punjab and other states simultaneously.

“The Commission has not yet decided on the date of the elections …it is mentally engaged in working out the dates but no decision has been taken so far,’’ they added.

The sources said the Commission would have to take into account several factors while working out the dates, like availability of security forces, schedule of the schools, weather conditions, festival dates and the convenience of polling personnel and the election machinery. The Commission has the flexibility of advancing or postponing the polls by six months.

While the term of the UP Assembly expires on May 20, the terms of the Assemblies in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa end on March 14, March 12, March 15 and June 14, respectively.