ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan on Wednesday made it clear that no interference will be tolerated in upcoming elections, will repeat the process of de-limitation again if required.
Addressing in a ceremony in Lahore, Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan said that it is the prime responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold fair and free elections. DROs have to play an important role in conducting fair and free elections. He said that election staff will be provided full security in the upcoming polls of 2018.
“The elections are very vital for country’s prosperity and future and we will hold them in strict adherence to the constitution,” he said.
He underlined that the judiciary is a transparent institution and that is the reason DROs were appointed from among the judiciary.
The ECP chief reiterated that no intervention will be tolerated in the polls and all the election staff would be provided due security.
On the occasion, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob said that no delay in the general elections will be tolerated, ruling out the interference of “aliens”.
ECP has prepared a code of conduct for foreign observers in the upcoming general elections. The election commission said that foreign observers can come to Pakistan for four to six weeks.
ECP said that the foreign ministry will issue instructions regarding visa for foreign missions.
The election commission has also extended the deadline for submission of applications by political parties and electoral alliances for election symbol till May 25.
However, the ECP notified that the applications submitted before the previous deadline of May 15 would not be considered and advised all such parties and alliances to submit fresh applications because incomplete applications or requests through fax will not be entertained.
ECP said the application must contain a list of symbols that the party sought in order of priority and the symbol allotted to it in the previous general elections.
Every application should be signed by the respective party head, according to the ECP. The commission will allocate a symbol to a political party only if it complied with the relevant provisions of the elections act.