Tampering, negligence of duty: Polling staff to face six-month jail, Rs0.1m fine

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced punishments for any negligence to duty by polling staff during general elections.

According to the ECP, making any changes to the documents by the appointed staff will be considered a crime. Tampering with the official seal on the ballot paper or breaking the seal of the ballot box will also be considered a violation of the law.

“If found guilty of the aforesaid crimes, the polling staff could face a prison sentence of up to six months and/or a fine of Rs0.1 million,” the ECP said. Likewise, forcing the voters or having any affect on their votes or the poll results was also declared illegal by the Election Commission.

A prison sentence of up to two years or a Rs0.1 million fine could be handed to polling staff found guilty of the aforesaid violations. Meanwhile, the ongoing election campaign for the general elections, 2018, will come to an end across Pakistan at midnight, falling between July 23 and 24.

Similarly, the electronic and print media will also avoid telecasting/publishing advertisements or such written material for the purpose of poll campaign, which tends to malign or favour a particular political party of a candidate during this period.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a statement and said that attention of political parties and the contesting candidates for elections to the seats in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies is drawn to Section 82 of the Elections Act, 2017, which provided that no person shall convene, hold or attend any public meeting and no person shall promote or join in any procession within the area of the constituency during a period of forty-eight hours.

“Any person, who contravenes these provisions of law, shall be punishable to two years or with fine that may extend to one hundred thousand rupees or both,” the ECP maintained.