- Campaign material carries names, photos of local bodies’ representatives in violation of ECP’s code
ISLAMABAD: The political campaigns and canvassing have reached heights in the federal capital as the candidates of the major political parties and their leaders have upped the ante.
In the capital, the streets and roads are inundated with coloured panaflexes, banners and large billboards. Also, of late, corner offices of both the party and the independent candidates have also started to appear in every nook and corner.
It is pertinent to mention here that these corner offices, mostly comprising of a tent, few chairs, and a table, symbolise presence of a candidate and serve as a meeting place of the young people and old alike till late at night. On a recent visit to G-11, where main camp office of PTI candidate from NA-54 Asad Umer is located, this scribe spotted the banners, flexes and billboards all carrying names and photos of local UC chairmen and members of the local bodies.
Furthermore, one can spot the posters plastered on the back windows the supporters and local residents. It is pertinent to mention here that participation of the local bodies’ representatives in the election campaign would be a violation of the code of conduct of the Election Commission.
“Legal action will be taken against those who violate the ECP code of conduct,” the notification added. The caretaker set up also barred district councilors, municipal committee members and UC chairmen from taking part in any political activity or the election campaign for the general election.
The notification stated that the ban had been imposed to ensure transparent and impartial polls scheduled on July 25. In addition to this, the candidates are giving the money to those supporters who have established the party camps in different localities of the constituency. The age-old practice has refused to go away even in the most urban city of Pakistan.
Running an election campaign involves huge costs that include maintaining the election offices and daily expenses of running them. Also the cost of printing and posting of the banners, flexes, posters and pamphlets alone run in millions of rupees besides vehicles for rallies, cavalcades moving around voters on the election day, and holding corner meetings, rallies and gatherings.
“We are voters and supporters of PTI and have contributed to party funds from our own pocket. Also, we’ve got panaflexes of Asad Umer printed and placed around our sector,” said Malik Muneeb, a business student. He said that while other parties ‘rely on ill-gotten wealth,’ the supporters of PTI contribute to the party funds and the general campaign from their hard earned money.
The Election Commission, through the recently-passed Election Act 2017, has increased the ceiling of the campaign expenditures allowed to the contesting candidates to run their election campaigns substantially, Pakistan Today has observed. The ceiling for campaign expenditures for the candidates in all the seats of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies was increased on demand.
A candidate contesting for a NA seat could now spend up to Rs 4 million for electioneering. Earlier this amount was set at Rs 1.5 million. Moreover, the candidates running for the provincial assemblies’ seat would have the permission to spend Rs 2 million as the campaign expenditure. Earlier, the candidates fighting for a provincial assembly seat could only spend an amount of Rs 1 million for electioneering.
Similarly, the ceiling of the campaign expenditure for Senate elections have been increased from Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million, as per the Election Act 2017. The campaign expenditures for the Senate elections were not increased at par with the expenditure limit set for contestants of the provincial and national assemblies, because the candidates running for NA and provincial assemblies have to spend money on advertisements, keeping in view the nature of their elections.
