CAs eye poll windfall

The coming week is going to be busy for many lawyers and chartered accountants (CAs). As it is mandatory for politicians applying for assembly election tickets to submit five different affidavits to the Election Commission (EC), the lawyers and CAs also stand to make a lot of money. The price for the service ranges between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer is already a regular haunt for many lawyers looking for politicians wanting to get their affidavits made.

Most applicants are, however, visiting the offices of the bigger lawyers and chartered accountants to get the job done.

“I have already asked my chartered account to prepare the affidavits for me,” said Ajay Maken, Transport Minister and Congress candidate from Rajouri Garden. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has asked her lawyers to do the needful. BJP candidate from Karol Bagh SP Ratawal said he too had entrusted the job to his lawyers.

But the problem is for candidates of the smaller parties and those wanting to contest as independents. Unlike the BJP and the Congress, who are assisting their candidates with the affidavits, the smaller parties and independent candidates don’t have infrastructure. “It has been left to the candidates to complete the nomination formalities,” said Mohammad Ali of Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal.

                                  ***************

Paper problems

• EC diktat: Ticket-seekers are required to submit details of income to the EC. BJP and Cong hopefuls have party help

• Self help: Those running as Independents or for smaller parties have to fend for themselves