The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued a final code of conduct for next general elections and assigned district returning officers and returning officers to ensure its implementation.
The 46-points code, which the ECP prepared after holding a number of meetings with political parties, does not permit the president, prime minister, ministers, governors, chief ministers and other public office holders to participate in election campaigns. This provision will also be applicable to the caretaker setup.
The code also directed political parties not to encourage or enter into formal or informal agreement or understanding excluding women from becoming candidates for an election or exercising their right of vote in polls. The political parties should encourage women to participate in election process.
It also says that all contesting candidates and their supporters should avoid all activities which are considered offences under the election laws, such as bribing voters, intimidation as well as canvassing within 400 yards of a polling station, including setting up of camps.
Per code of conduct, political parties and candidates should not propagate any opinion or act in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the armed forces, as provided under Article 63 of the constitution.
It also read that the contesting candidates and their supporters are not allowed to procure the support or assistance of any person in the service of Pakistan to promote or hinder the election of a contesting candidate.
Per code, wall chalking as part of an election campaign is prohibited in all forms. Similarly, use of loudspeaker is also strictly banned for election campaign except at the election meetings. No person or a political party shall affix posters, hoardings or banners larger than the sizes prescribed by the ECP.
Political parties, contesting candidates and their supporters shall not use any vehicle to transport to or from the polling stations any elector except himself and members of his immediate family. Contesting candidates and their supporters shall not propagate against the participation of any person in the elections on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion or caste.
While it is also part of code of conduct that no candidate can make transaction towards the election expenses from any other account but from only specific account. And all transactions relating to the election expenses shall be entered into with GST-registered firms/persons, wherever it is possible.
Issuing of advertisements at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media and misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity by the federal, provincial and local governments shall be prohibited.
There will be a complete ban on carrying and display of all kinds of weapons and firearms in public meetings and processions as well as on the polling day and until 24 hours after the consolidation of official results by the returning officer and official regulations in respect thereof shall be strictly observed. Firing, use of crackers and other explosives at public meetings and at or near the polling stations by any person shall not be allowed.
The candidates are allowed to hold rallies and processions only at the specified places. Such places and routes shall be pre-determined in every city and town by district/local administration in consultation with respective candidates or their authorised representatives and be notified for public information.
Whereas, the car rallies are not allowed to travel long distances except if the political parties, candidates or their supporters have pre-arranged corner meetings at specific designated places.
