Modi filed incorrect election expenditure in election: plea

New Delhi, Aug 1 A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction for the poll panel to hold an enquiry on a Congress leader's allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to furnish a correct statement of expenditure incurred by him in Varanasi during Lok Sabha election last year.

The plea filed by former MP Rajesh Mishra against Election Commission alleged that it has been sitting on the complaint because the accused happens to be the prime minister.

He has alleged that Modi gave "incorrect account" of his election expenditure and sought his disqualification as MP, noting the election expenditure return filed with the district electoral office, Varanasi, showing his total expenditure on a very lower side, to the tune of Rs.37 lakh only.

"In a perusal of the statement of election expenses filed by the returned candidate, it is revealed that he has failed to keep separate and correct account of all expenditure in connection with his election and has also not furnished true and correct statement of account of election expenditure, incurred by him in Varanasi Constituency as per law," the plea said.

"The actual expenditure, incurred by him or his agent or under their authority, knowledge, permission is far beyond the prescribed maximum limit of Rs.70 lakh, and as such he is liable to be disqualified."

Modi has not been made a party in the case.

The complaint was handled over to the commission on July 6 and till date no action has been taken nor any information received, the petition said, adding: "The commission was duty bound to take prompt action, without any delay and failure will give undue advantage to the returned candidate."