Our Reference: GSRP/RO/El.Ex/T-BE/06/05. June 3, 2005
To: The Deputy Collector & Returning Officer, 11-Taleigao Assembly Constituency, Collectorate (North) Panjim-Goa. Kind Attention: Mr. Deepak Dessai. Sir, Reference your Notice No. 7-9-2005/BYE-ELN/Exp/Govrnment of Goa, dated June 1, 2005, I, the undersigned who am also the candidate for the above Assembly Constituency, would like to submit as under, in response to the said notice and with respect to my/our election expenses:- The nomination fees have been accounted for. (Rs. 5000) There are no other expenses incurred by me/us during the process of filing my nomination papers. I/we have had only one public meeting at the Children's Park, Caranzalem, the expenses for which, including the license fees paid to the Panjim Municipal Corporation have been fully accounted for and detailed in my election accounting book and verified by your good office. (Rs. 21,300.00). I/we have neither paid any person/s to attend my/our above public meeting nor have I/we transported any person/s to fill the chairs. Infact practically all of the 300 chairs I/we had placed were empty as all preferred to sit on the park's fencing, and which has been duly reported by newspapers. I/we have not opened any campaign office and therefore have not incurred any expense on this account. This also is true w.r.t. polling agents as we have not been able to put polling agents in the polling booths due to the general reluctance and fear in the people to volunteer for this service. I/we have used just one vehicle for propaganda namely GA-01-T-5079 from May 27 to May 31 i.e for 5 days and the hire charges with fuel as well as the hire charges for the sound system, the announcers and their victuals and refreshments have all been duly accounted for in the accounting book. (Rs. 14,000.00) All banners, posters, flags, fliers, stickers, pledges for election contribution & coupons have been fully accounted for and have been printed as according to the rules of the Election Commission in full compliance thereof. (Rs. 19,406.00) Travel expense for party dignitaries have been accounted for (Rs. 1500.00). Other miscellaneous expenses which include hosting of the (sponsored) Fund Raising Lunch at Hotel Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula have amounted to Rs. 76,911.34. In all as of todate the total expenses incurred by me/us for the 11 Taleigao election campaign is Rs. 1, 33,117.34. (Rupees One lac thirty three thousand one hundred seventeen and paise thirty four only) Further to the above, I/we would like to inform you that the Goa Su-Raj Party has relied solely on public donations/contributions for its election campaign, because I/we believe that elections must be fought with people's participation, which includes monetary contributions from the people to make the candidate a truly "people's candidate". In a constituency such as Taleigao, where "giants" have their stamping ground, I/we entered the election fray with almost no support due to fear of reprisals. However, I/we could not be deterred from entering into the fray to give the people of Taleigao the alternative choice that they deserved and which was not available. I/we believe that the Election Commission has done a commendable job in controlling the indulgences of the candidates of the two national parties in influencing voters. But, at the same time, we believe that not enough has been done to curb this mal-practices. The accounts submitted by me/us are the actual and irrefutable expenses incurred by me/us during this modest campaign in Taleigao constituency and may be used as a reference/precedence to ascertain the true extent of the expenses incurred by other candidates. I/we do hope that the special observers deputed by the Election Commission have made a true observation of the indulgence by various candidates to influence the voters during the campaign period and that they will be appropriately penalized to deter such mal-practices in the future, to keep the electoral process clean and worthy of a 'largest democracy in the world' . However reports appearing in the local newspapers, the cuttings of which are enclosed herewith for your referral, forces us to believe that the Election Commission needs to put in a more sincere effort to cleanse the electoral process. Needless to say that this party has been formed to show the way, that politics need not be dirty and that the electoral process can be made perfectly clean and appealing to the voters sans fear or favor. And I/we believe that the Election Commission of India is the Institution that will bring about this transition, sooner than later. It is said that "where there is will there is a way" If however, this party feels that justice is not done with respect to the declaration of election expenditures by the candidates of other parties, I/we shall take recourse to get the same in the High Court through an appropriate Writ Petition. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, for Goa Su-Raj Party Sd/- (Floriano C. Lobo) President/Candidate. Copy: Chief Electoral Officer, Election Commission, Altinho-Panjim-Goa. Copy: Chief Election Commissioner, Nirvachan Sadan, New-Delhi for information.
