ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday barred President Dr Arif Alvi and the provincial governors from taking part in the campaign for Senate polls.
“The President and Governors of the Provinces shall not take part in the election campaign for the Senate in any manner whatsoever and shall not use their respective offices as well as houses in connection therewith”, a code of conduct for the Senate polls, issued by the commission says.
Though it is yet to be decided whether or not the voting for the Senate polls will be open or secret, voters have been told not to carry mobile phones or other such electronic devices or gadgets, which can be used to take photographs of the marked ballot paper. The code says the political parties, contesting candidates, election agents and voters shall not indulge in any kind of corrupt or illegal practice (as defined in Chapter-X of the Elections Act 2017). Likewise, contesting candidates, election agents and their supporters have been warned against soliciting the support or assistance of any person in the service of Pakistan or any public office to promote or hinder the election of a contesting candidate in any manner.
“Similarly, any person in service of Pakistan shall not promote or hinder the election of a contesting candidate in any manner or render support to any candidate in any form whatsoever," it reads. The code says political parties, candidates, voters and election agents shall not propagate any opinion, or act in any manner prejudicial to the glory of Islam and ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality or public order, or the integrity or independence of the Parliament, judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the Parliament, judiciary or the armed forces of Pakistan.
It also seeks the political parties, candidates, voters and election agents to abide by all directions and instructions issued by the Election Commission, from time to time, relating to smooth conduct of elections as defined in Sections 4 and 8 of the Elections Act, 2017, and refrain from maligning the Election Commission in any form whatsoever.
The code warns that any violation may entail contempt proceedings as contemplated in Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017. “For purposes of their election expenses, a candidate shall open an exclusive account with any branch of a scheduled bank before the date fixed for the scrutiny of nomination papers and maintain, or cause to be maintained, a register of receipts and expenditures”, it reads.
The candidates will not be allowed to make any transaction towards the election expenses through an account other than the account opened for the purpose. A candidate may open the bank account for election expenses with an amount not exceeding the limit of election expenses provided under the Elections Act. The returned candidate will have to submit their return of election expenses to the Returning Officer on Form C within five days from the date of election in accordance with Sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the Act whereas other contesting candidates will have to submit their election expenses on Form C to the Returning Officer within thirty days of the publication of the names of the returned candidates as required under Section 134 of the Act.
Section 233 of the Elections Act 2017 provides that the Election Commission shall, in consultation with political parties, frame a Code of Conduct for political parties, contesting candidates, election agents and polling agents. Needless to say, some of the proposals given by representatives of political parties having representation in the National and Provincial Assemblies have been incorporated in the final draft- one of which is about respect for the parliament.
The commission has now issued the Code of Conduct for political parties, contesting candidates, election agents and voters for the forthcoming Senate Elections, 2021 and all subsequent bye- elections with the direction that the political parties, candidates, election agents and voters shall follow the Code of Conduct during the Senate elections and subsequent by-elections in letter and spirit.
