The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday notified final code of conduct for the upcoming elections.
The notification says that each contesting candidate is ordered to open an account with a scheduled bank before April 4t and deposit the amount not more than Rs 1.5 million for the National Assembly constituency and Rs 1 million for provincial assembly constituency to meet the election expenses.
The commission has strictly ordered that all concerned are required to follow the directives in letter and spirit and any violation in this regard would be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the constitution and law.
It has been notified that none of the contesting candidates will exceed the limit of election expenses during the election campaign and all election expenditures will be made out of the amount deposited in the same account.
“No transaction towards the election expenses could be made through an account other than the account opened for this purpose. The candidates are directed that all transactions relating to the election expenses shall be entered with GST registered firms,” the notification added.
It is also directed that each contesting candidate will submit a statement of election expenses during the preceding week to the district returning officer on every Thursday.
It is notified that no person or a political party will hoist or fix party flags on any public property or at any public place except with the permission in writing from and on payment of such fee or charges as may be chargeable by the concerned local government or authorities. The Commission has prohibited wall chalking during the campaign whereas use of loudspeakers is restricted only to election meetings.
The commission has imposed a ban on establishment of camps near the polling stations on the Election Day in accordance to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
It also decided to ban car rallies‚ use of loud speakers and oversized publicity material.
The candidate will not be allowed to make any transaction out of specific account for election. The notification bounds the contesting candidates not to carry out the car rallies to travel long distances except if they have pre-arranged corner meetings at specific designated places and the meetings will be notified to the ordinary public by the local administration.
“No political party‚ contesting candidate‚ election agent or their supporters will use any vehicle to convey to or from the polling station any elector except himself and members of his immediate family,” it noted further.
The commission has directed the district returning officers to hold meetings with candidates and apprise them of the relevant laws‚ rules and the judgment of the Supreme Court pertaining to the code of conduct and election campaign expenses.
The political parties have been directed to affix posters sized 2-feet x 3-feet‚ hoardings of 3×5 feet‚ banners of 3×9 feet and leaflets sized 9×6 inches.
No person or a political party will hoist or fix party flags on any public property or at any public place‚ except with the permission from and on fee payment to the local government or authorities concerned.
