The Election Department’s reply to the cut motion moved by MLAs R.S. Pathania and Vikram Randhawa has raised fresh questions over financial transparency in the conduct of Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the official reply placed before the House, ₹1,00,000 was transferred through the PaySys portal for making necessary arrangements to conduct elections for four seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) from the Union Territory.
The department stated that ₹73,548 was incurred for election-related expenditure, including refreshment and remuneration as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
However, the most glaring concern lies in the disclosure of expenses. Out of ₹73,548:
₹21,150 was spent as honorarium/remuneration for officers and officials detailed on election duty.
₹52,398 was reportedly utilized for “other necessary arrangements.”
The reply, however, does not provide an item-wise breakdown explaining how ₹52,398 was actually spent.
No detailed statement, no specific heads of expenditure, and no transparency regarding the nature of these “arrangements” have been placed in the public domain.
With public funds involved, the vague description has triggered debate over accountability and procedural clarity. Lawmakers are questioning whether such generalized financial reporting meets the standards of transparency expected in a democratic setup.
The issue may snowball into a larger demand for full financial disclosure and audit clarity regarding election expenditure in the Union Territory.
