Karachi LG polls: Rangers can take action inside polling stations

ECP authorises officer in-charge to exercise powers of Magistrate First Class on the polling day

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Rangers have been given powers to take action inside polling stations during the December 5th local government (LG) elections in Karachi.

The port city would be going for the elections in the third and final phase of the LG polls in Sindh. Karachi has six districts, including Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi Central, Karachi South, Malir and Korangi.

“The Pakistan Rangers Sindh personnel will be deployed on the day of polls in the constituencies of Sindh where elections are being held on December 5th while performing their security duties are authorised to move into polling stations and take preventive actions like arrest/detention in case breakdown of law and order is imminent,” reads a notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The poll supervisory body has also announced to deploy Pakistan Army and Rangers in areas declared sensitive in the districts going for polls in Punjab.

“In view of the prevailing law and order situation as well as the requests made by the returning officers (ROs) and provincial election commissioners and by the provincial governments of Sindh and Punjab for deployment of Army/Pakistan Rangers, the election commission has desired that necessary arrangements for deployment of Army/Rangers as 2nd/3rd tier responder in a QRF (quick response force) mode in sensitive districts be made on the polling day and a day earlier where local government elections are being held on 5 December,” reads the notification.

The poll body said responsibility of the conduct of the LG polls will remain with the ECP and that of law and order with police.

Any member of the Army/Rangers deployed under the ECP orders would be empowered to exercise powers under section 4&5 of Anti-Terrorism Act (1997 as amended) for the entire duration of deployment.

The ECP also authorised designated officer in-charge of Army/Pakistan Rangers (Gazetted as well as Junior Commissioned Officer) of an area deployed for providing security to polling stations to exercise powers of Magistrate First Class on the polling day.

These officers will be empowered to take cognizance of any offences and punish the culprits in a summary way as per Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act No.V of 1898) in terms of Section 59 and Section 60 of the Sindh Local Government Act-2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd,  2015.