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3.1.4 Policy Development
The role that an impartial and politically neutral body with oversight of political finance issues can play in policy development will usually be limited, but can still be important.
3.1.5 Increasing Public Awareness
Political finance is crucially important in any democratic state today. The role of money in politics is also critical to public confidence on the political and electoral processes in any country.
3.2 Compliance Control Mechanisms
Compliance control mechanisms cover all the different methods and processes oversight institutions can resort to in order to supervise and check compliance with political finance regulations.
3.2.1 Supervision and Monitoring
Supervision and monitoring are part of the tasks political finance oversight bodies can be vested with. Depending on the country and the mandate entrusted to the political finance oversight body, supervision and monitoring of political finances can encompass different mechanisms or powers.
3.2.2 Preparing Reporting
A cornerstone in political finance transparency is the financial reporting system for political parties and election contestants, whether it relates to annual or ongoing party finance reports or to campaign finance reports submitted before or after an election.
3.2.3 Receipt and Review of Statutory Reports
The financial reports submitted by electoral contestants as regards the financing of their election campaigns and by political parties about the financing of their routine activities are the primary source of information at your disposal to carry out your supervision tasks.
3.2.4 Complaints and Allegations
There are different ways to handle complaints and allegations depending very much on a country's legal framework and traditions.
3.2.5 Audits
An audit is an examination of the contribution and expenditure documentation, banking statements and other financial records of a submitting entity to assess compliance with existing auditing standards.
3.3 Handling Issues of Non-Compliance
The nature of the rules and the mechanisms for dealing with rule breaking vary from country to country depending on whether the law provides for criminal or administrative approaches and whether you have the power to conduct investigations, impose civil sanctions and/or bring criminal prosecutions.
3.3.1 Investigations
The purpose of an investigation should always be to establish the facts in order to reach a view on the evidence. It should not be based on any desire to prove anyone is innocent or guilty, and not assume, or care, what the facts will prove to be.