Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India has appointed Sanjeev Kumar Lal as the Expenditure Watcher for the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election. Lal urged officials to meticulously track every rupee candidates spend during their campaigns and ensure these amounts are recorded in the candidates’ financial accounts.
On Wednesday, Lal made an unannounced visit to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) headquarters. He inspected several key areas, including the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), Electronic Media Monitoring Room, Model Code of Conduct (MCC) Control Room, the 1950 Complaints Center, and the Social Media Monitoring Cell. Lal expressed satisfaction with their operations.
Lal instructed officials to keep a close eye on campaign activities such as rallies, public meetings, roadshows, advertisements, and any instances of paid news. He emphasized the importance of maintaining detailed daily records of all campaign spending.
During the inspection, several officials, including MCC nodal officer Narasimha Reddy, MCMC member secretary Mamindla Dasharatham, and 24×7 control room officer Anuradha, briefed the expenditure observers on their operations. P Venkateswar Reddy, the chief examiner of accounts, was also present during the inspection.
Following his visit, Lal met with the district election officer, RV Karna, at the GHMC head office. They discussed the registration of election expenses, the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, and other related issues.
