Election Commission of Pakistan has Awakened for General Elections 2013

ECP had been previously working on the patterns specified at the time of its investiture. But recently ECP got ignited due to the allegation of forgeries in the election processes for the nominations. It has sharpened its teeth by tailoring the code of conduct for stringent execution of Election procedures.

The document has been filed containing more or less 40 summits with mutual consent of political parties and the commission. It anchored the over expenditures of political parties by directing all contesting candidates to use the money from their separate account of maximum credit limit 1.5 million. They are not supposed to spend money other than that account. Submission of daily details of expenses at the end of every week till closing stages of elections campaigns is made essential. Violators will be sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment and fine of PKR 5000. Although credit limit was defined previously for campaigns but ECP showed a bit lavish attitude in surveillance.

Moreover, long convoys, wall chalking and party flags at public places are banned by the commission. Entitlements of these facilities will only be allowed under the written legal documentation, approved by the local authorities. Additional Secretary, M. Afzal Khan told media that the returning officers (RO’s) are authorized to cancel the nomination papers of the candidates if they show off weapons or open fire in air after the submission of papers. Except meetings, laud speakers are also banned to be used by the parties. Banners and posters of specified length & width are allowed for the election campaigns so that the unnecessary agitation in people can be refrained. Furthermore, defined boundaries of 400-450 yards radius of polling station for contesting candidates have been allowed by the commission. In addition, Seat Reservation is defined on the basis of prioritization of women and non-Muslims in the Assemblies so for this purpose ECP ensured the submission of nomination lists to the commission and so and so forth.

Although ECP is striving to fix the loop holes in the system to conduct fair general elections in the country. But what about the political influences and pressures by insiders? What about the strict imposition of penalties by authorities? So, Still there are certain amendments yet to be made in the law enforcement policies so that the flawless implementation of reforms can take place.

By Saba Tariq