Election Commission code of conduct not a mere show-piece, politicians warned
By: Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday approved the draft code of conduct for political parties and candidates for the coming general elections and said the document should not be taken as a mere show-piece. It warned that its violators would face legal action entailing trial and subsequent disqualification.
The draft approved by the commission at a lengthy meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, will be forwarded to political parties to seek their views in 15 days.
The new rules bind political parties and candidates to abide by all laws, rules and regulations and directives issued by the commission from time to time relating to smooth conduct of elections and maintenance of public order.
The salient features of the draft code are as follows:
No person or political party or candidate and their supporters shall hoist or fix party flags on any public property or at any public place, except with the written permission from, and on payment of such fee or charges to be paid to, the concerned local government or authorities.
All political parties, candidates and their supporters shall scrupulously avoid activities deemed offences under the election laws, such as bribing and intimidation of voters and canvassing within 400 yards of a polling station, including setting up of camps and holding public meetings during the 48 hours ending at midnight before the poll.
Incitement to violence or resort to violence during public meetings and processions or polling hours shall be strictly avoided by political parties, candidates and their supporters. They shall publicly condemn violence and intimidation and shall not use language that might lead to violence. No person shall in any manner cause injury to any person or damage to any property. Wall chalking as part of an election campaign shall be prohibited in all forms.
Political parties, candidates and their supporters shall not indulge in offering gifts or gratifications or inducement to any person to stand or not to stand as a candidate, or to withdraw or not to withdraw his candidature.
Political parties, candidates and their supporters may announce their overall development programme, but after the announcement of the election schedule till the day of polling, no candidate or any person on his behalf shall openly or in secret give any subscription or donation, or make promise for giving such subscription or donation, to any institution of their constituency or to any other institution, nor shall commit to undertake any development project in the constituency.
Political parties, candidates and their supporters will be free to criticise the policies of other parties but will be barred from criticising anybody’s private life.
Political parties, candidates and their supporters or other persons shall not encourage or enter into formal or informal agreements debarring women from becoming candidates or exercising their right to vote. Political parties shall endeavour to provide equal opportunity to its members, both men and women, to participate in election process.*Issuance of an advertisement in newspapers and other media at the cost of public exchequer and misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity shall be avoided by the federal, provincial and local governments.
There will be a complete ban on carrying and displaying weapons and firearms in public meetings and processions and on the polling day and till 24 hours after the consolidation of official results by the returning officer. Aerial firing, use of crackers and other explosives at public meetings and at or near polling stations by political parties and candidates shall not be allowed.
The president, speaker/deputy speaker of National Assembly, chairman/deputy chairman of Senate, prime minister, federal ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial ministers and advisers to prime minister and chief ministers and other public office holders shall not combine their official visits with an election campaign. This provision will also be applicable to the members of the caretaker set-up.
Political parties and candidates shall hold rallies and public meetings only at the places and routes specified for the purpose.
Such places and routes shall be pre-determined in every city and town by the district and local administration in consultation with representatives of major political parties and shall be notified for public information. Processions shall not be taken out by one party along places at which meetings are being held by another.
TRASPORT FOR VOTERS: Talking to reporters after the meeting, Justice (retd) Ebrahim said it would not be possible for the commission to provide transport to voters.
“We are bound to follow all directives of the Supreme Court and there is no doubt about it”, he said, but added that there was a difference between a directive and an observation. He said it was not humanly possible to provide transport to all voters which, according to estimates, would cost Rs12 billion.
Answering a question, he said (the issue of) the president’s dual office had nothing to do with the commission, adding that he had made remarks about the dual office case in his personal capacity.
Responding to another question, he said the commission was ready, if asked, to hold local government elections before the general polls. But, there was no such indication from the government.
Terming credible electoral rolls as the first step to free and fair elections, he said the accuracy of voters’ list was necessary for fair polls. He asked political parties to mobilise their workers to check their entries in the list. He said any amendments to the electoral rolls were possible till the announcement of the election schedule.
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