CCTV cameras sought to ensure transparency in general elections | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

CCTV cameras sought to ensure transparency in general elections

Pakistan Press Foundation

Sindh Chief Secretary Azam Sulaiman Khan has emphasised the need of installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at all the polling stations across the province for the July 25 general elections to ensure they are conducted in a fair, free and transparent manner.

The newly appointed provincial chief secretary said this on Thursday while chairing a meeting at his office to review the arrangements being made to conduct the upcoming polls in the province.

The chief secretary directed the secretaries of the relevant administrative departments of the Sindh government to make all the required arrangements for the upcoming elections so that the entire process can be observed in a smooth and peaceful manner.

He said the arrangements should be made to ensure the provision of all the required basic facilities at the polling stations, including potable water and electricity, as well as the availability of properly secured premises with boundary walls and passages for safe entry and exit of voters and polling staff.

He directed the relevant officials to constitute special committees to visit the proposed premises and buildings that have been designated to be used as polling stations across the province. The committees will compile their respective reports regarding the availability of the necessary facilities at these places that are required to conduct the electoral process in a smooth and peaceful manner. The proposed committees will submit their reports within a week.

The chief secretary also emphasised the need of proper and judicious utilisation of budget meant to meet the expenditures relating to the holding of the entire electoral process. The meeting was attended by the newly appointed Board of Revenue Senior Member Iqbal Hussain Durrani and secretaries of the provincial government departments of school education, finance, home, general administration and implementation.

In a related move, caretaker chief minister Fazal-ur-Rehman said the situation at sensitive polling stations across the province can be monitored through CCTV cameras at the complaint cell especially set up at the CM House in order to resolve election-related grievances in the province. The CM said this during his visit to the complaint cell.

Cabinet meets today

The first formal meeting of the newly formed Sindh caretaker cabinet will be held on Friday (today). The meeting is likely to discuss issues relating to the holding of the upcoming general elections in the province, as well as matters relating to the procurement of video surveillance cameras for sensitive polling stations.

The caretaker cabinet held an informal introductory meeting on June 8, soon after the seven caretaker provincial ministers were administered their oaths at the Governor House.

Today’s cabinet meeting will be held in the cabinet room on the seventh floor of the new Sindh Secretariat building. Among other items on the agenda, the home secretary will brief the cabinet members on the law and order situation of the province with regard to the general elections.

Code of conduct

Earlier this month the home department had issued the code of conduct for the general elections, banning political parties from using hate speech during electioneering across the province.

The code of conduct also prohibits wall chalking (graffiti) as well as hoisting or displaying party flags or banners at any public property or building in the province.

“There shall be no hate speech by any person or party. There shall be zero tolerance for any attempt to incite violence or resort to violence during meetings or processions, or during polling hours or during counting of votes,” read the code of conduct issued by the home secretary.

“There shall be strong administrative and legal action against such acts of violence. There shall be no use of language which may lead to violence. No person shall cause injury or damage to any person or property.

“The Ministry of Interior has sensitised all the provinces to have a security protocol for the upcoming general elections. And such protocol should include guidelines for the political parties to secure their power shows or corner meetings and to ensure security of their leaders.

“A meeting of the home secretary, the provincial police chief, all commissioners, all DIGs, the Karachi police chief and representative of the V Corps headquarters was convened by the home minister on May 22 with the objective of formulating a security strategy and devising a code of conduct (security protocol) to be followed by the political parties during the general elections 2018.

“In the meeting, detailed discussions and deliberations took place and the participants agreed upon the security guidelines, SOPs and protocols to be observed by the political parties and enforced by the officers of the district administration and police during the polls.”

The home department has categorised meetings and corner meetings into ‘small’ and ‘large’. For small meetings, permission from the SSP will be sought on an application mentioning the date, time, venue and expected number of participants. For large meetings, permission will be sought from both the SSP and the deputy commissioner.

The permission in both cases will be sought three days before the scheduled date. No two meetings by different political parties shall take place on the same date, time and venue or at a place adjacent to the venue of the other party.

Political rallies can be held only if the permission for them has been sought three days before the scheduled date from both the SSP and the deputy commissioner. The route and the timing of the rally shall be predetermined and mentioned in the application for the permission.

Security of political leaders shall be their own responsibility, while the Sindh police shall be responsible for the overall security of the locality and people. No personal security would be given to individuals or politicians except those whose cases have been specifically approved by the Provincial Threat Assessment Committee under their policy.

Political leaders and workers may, however, deploy uniformed private security guards having valid licensed arms with them for their security, subject to the condition that the detailed information of such guards and weapons shall be registered with the relevant police station and the SSP.

Video recording of the meetings and rallies shall be the responsibility of the applicants and organisers of such events. They shall submit a copy of such recordings to the relevant police stations.

The News