News
Friday, September 17, 2010
ECP bans electioneering by PM, CMs, ministers
* ECP secretary says no political personality will visit constituency or announce development schemes once election schedule is announced
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stopped the prime minister, provincial chief ministers and other ministers from campaigning in constituencies after the election schedule has been announced.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Hamid Ali Mirza in Islamabad.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan said that after the issuance of election schedule, no political personality holding a public office would be allowed to visit constituencies and to announce any development scheme, which could influence the outcome of the election.
“Any development scheme which is already in the pipeline will also be delayed until the elections are held in order to ensure transparency,” he said, adding that it would strictly be ensured that state resources were not used in the elections.
He said that the meeting had decided that the ECP would be completely independent in fulfillment of its constitutional obligation to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. He said that the federal and provincial governments would ensure implementation the ECP’s directives.
He said that the government had not taken any action on the violation of election codes on the directives of the ECP. “The ECP issued many contempt notices to the government. However, unfortunately no such action has been taken so far,” he said. He asserted that now the ECP would ensure the implementation of all its directives.
Responding to a question about whether action would also be taken against the PM or CMs on violation of the election code of conduct, he said that the ECP would take action within its parameter against anyone who violated election rules. Khan said that the meeting had decided that the ECP could get assistance of law enforcement agencies including police, Rangers, the Frontier Corps, the Frontier Constabulary and the army to ensure law and order during elections. “If anybody violates the rules, then it is responsibility of the returning officer of the particular constituency to inform the provincial government and it is the responsibility of the chief secretary and home secretary of the province to take action,” he said.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and representatives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan also attended the meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk