PM didn’t violate election code of conduct: ECP

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Saturday ruled that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not violate the election code of conduct in his recent press conference in Lahore.
As per code of conduct, the ECP said, the prime minister and ministers cannot ask for votes from the voters after once the election campaign ends. The government officials can also not announce development schemes as per the election code of conduct, the ECP added.
The ECP statement comes a few minutes after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demanded the Commission to take notice of the prime minister’s presser, which he condemned as violation of election code of conduct. “The prime minister led a rally by addressing a press conference a day before by-election which is violation of election code of conduct,” Qureshi said while talking to a private TV channel.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held a press conference in Lahore in which he talked about ongoing energy projects and the performance of his government.
The chief election commissioner said that the commission was closely monitoring the implementation of code of conduct and that its violation would not be tolerated.
He said that secretary of the commission was in constant contact with the provincial election commissioners. - Sabah
Mumtaz Alvi adds: Information Secretary Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Naeemul Haq on Saturday wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice R Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan to lodge strong protest over alleged violations of the electoral laws in NA-122 by government functionaries, including prime minister and chief minister Punjab.
“The letter is being written to you to lodge a strong protest against the continuous violations of the electoral laws by the leaders of PML-N including prime minister and chief minister Punjab in respect of the campaign being continued in NA-122. You are already aware of our position in respect of ECP member Punjab Justice R Riaz Kayani,” he noted in the letter.
He said, “while we have absolutely no confidence in his perceived impartiality, we expect you to intervene, prevent and punish all these violations designed to influence the voter’s mind after the campaign has stopped.
We expect your personal oversight in the crucial by-election being held in NA-122.”
Meanwhile, according to the latest position reported by the DROs and ROs of NA-122 Lahore, NA-144 Okara and PP-147 Lahore, all the election material have been distributed to the presiding officers concerned and they have reached to their polling stations under the security cover of Pakistan Army and police personnel.
Moreover, accreditation cards to the media and independent observers have been issued to all those who approached for the same, an announcement by the Election Commission said. This first phase of the bye-election activities in all the three constituencies has been accomplished in accordance with the law and upto the satisfaction of ECP.
The ECP has, therefore, expressed its satisfaction over the role of DROs/ROs, law enforcement agencies, presiding officers and all the polling staffs who made this process a success and expects that all the institutions would extend their cooperation on the poll day today as well enabling the ECP to conduct free, fair and transparent by-elections in these constituencies according to law.