Engineer Rashid Faces EC Scrutiny Over Discrepancy in Poll Expenditure

The Election Commission has issued a notice to newly-elected MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, asking him to address discrepancies in his poll expenditure for the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency. Rashid, currently in jail for terror funding, claimed his expenses were Rs 2.10 lakh, but EC observers noted Rs 13.78 lakh. A failure to comply could lead to disqualification.

The Election Commission has raised concerns over newly-elected MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, in jail for terror funding. The EC issued a notice addressing a significant disparity in his election expenditure report for the Baramulla constituency.

The deputy district election officer in Baramulla flagged the discrepancy on Tuesday. Rashid's reported expenditure stood at Rs 2.10 lakh, while a shadow register maintained by observers recorded Rs 13.78 lakh. The EC requested Rashid or his representative to appear before the district expenditure monitoring committee within two days to resolve the issue.

Rashid, detained in Tihar Jail since 2019 on terror funding charges, was granted a two-hour custody parole to take oath as a Lok Sabha member on July 5. His party claims that only Rs 2.10 lakh was officially spent, asserting that volunteer expenses are not accountable by the party. Non-compliance with the reporting requirements could lead to Rashid's disqualification under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

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