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ECI disqualifies 529 candidates for not filing expenditure accounts; 3-year voting ban
The Election Commission of India disqualified 529 independent candidates for failing to file detailed election expenditure accounts within 30 days of results, banning them from voting and contesting elections for three years. The order was issued on March 16, 2026, and applies to elections under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Why It Matters
This move enforces expenditure reporting rules in elections and highlights the risks for independents who lack party backing when records are incomplete.
Timeline
2 Events
State-wise distribution of disqualified candidates
March 16, 2026
The 529 disqualified candidates are distributed across states as follows: Uttar Pradesh 120; Karnataka 59; Madhya Pradesh 39; Chhattisgarh 36; Tamil Nadu 33; Bihar 28; Telangana 27; Punjab 27; Uttarakhand 27; Andhra Pradesh 25; Haryana 22; Kerala 16; Assam 14; Rajasthan 12; Goa 3; Gujarat 9; Himachal Pradesh 9; Odisha 8; Delhi 4; West Bengal 4; Jharkhand 2; Manipur 1; Meghalaya 1; Sikkim 1; Tripura 1; Lakshadweep 1.
ECI issues 3-year disqualification for 529 independent candidates
March 16, 2026
The Election Commission of India issued a disqualification order under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, disqualifying 529 independent candidates who did not file a detailed election expenditure account within 30 days of the declaration of results, thereby barring them from voting and contesting elections to Parliament and state legislatures for three years. The order, dated March 16, 2026, notes that the disqualification applies to elections under the RPA, 1951 and would not extend to panchayat and municipal elections, which are conducted by State Election Commissions.