A dedicated cell of the Election Commission of India to monitor expenditure of candidates may become functional before the Bihar Assembly elections due in November this year. As reported by The Indian Express on January 22, the poll panel has been panning an Expenditure Monitoring Division to check electoral malpractices, particularly the malaise of “paid news”.

“The new division shall be in position in the next few months,” said Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Sunday. He said the new division would “maintain the expenditure statements of parties and candidates and take follow-up action”.

“The money in cash garlands will come under the category of donation to political parties. Since there is no election right now, it does not seem to be in violation of the election law,” he said, adding:. “We are concerned about use of money power, it needs to be controlled.” Quraishi said the EC has put in place enough safeguards to ensure free and fair polls in Bihar.