Political parties will now be able to file their financial accounts online to the Election Commission, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Monday.

The facility takes effect with the launch of a new web-portal (https://iems.eci.gov.in/) which will allow the online filing of the Contribution Report; the Audited Annual Account; and the Election Expenditure Statement by the political parties.

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These financial statements are required to be submitted by political parties to the Election Commission, and Chief Electoral Officers of States and Union Territories, as per the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and transparency guidelines issued by the Commission, from time to time, over the last many years.

In a letter addressed to all political parties, the ECI has said that the facility has been created with twin objectives: first, to facilitate political parties in overcoming the difficulties in physical filing of reports, and secondly, to ensure timely filing of financial statements in the prescribed and standardised formats.

The online availability of the data is expected to enhance the level of compliance and transparency. In the letter, the ECI pointed to the pivotal position of political parties, and stressed that it is incumbent on them to adhere to the principles of democratic functioning and transparency in electoral processes, particularly in financial disclosures.

The on-line portal has a facility for sending reminders in the form of messages on the registered mobile number and registered emails of the authorised representatives of the political party so that the dates of compliances are not missed.

A comprehensive guiding manual with graphical representations, and FAQs have also been sent to the political parties explaining the online module and the process of filing reports online.

To give further guidance on the online filing, the ECI will organise a hands-on training programme for designated persons from various political parties.

The political parties not wishing to file the financial report through online mode, will have to convey reasons to the Commission in writing and may continue to file its reports in hard copy along with CDs, pen drives in the prescribed formats.

The commission will, in turn, publish all such reports online, along with a letter of justification sent by the party for not filing financial statements online.