Candidates warned over oversized posters

Officials say they are conducting daily operations to remove posters which are larger than permitted size

RAWALPINDI: The top poll body has warned candidates to strictly adhere to the code of conduct issued, otherwise, punitive action in accordance with the law will be taken against them.

In this regard, the district administration has removed illegal publicity material from nearly 140 points of the district.

The Rawalpindi District Election Commissioner (DEC) Saleem Akhtar told the APP that the district authorities were taking action on the violations and illegal election publicity material, including banners and posters which were contrary to the sizes specified in the code of conduct for candidates issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

He added that as per the code of conduct, banners have been restricted to three feet by nine feet, posters to 18x23 inches and handbills to 6x9inches. There is also a ban on the use of panaflex banners and posters as well as wall-chalking, he added.

He further said that the ECP is running a voter’s awareness programme to enhance voter turnout in the upcoming general election.

Earlier, the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Umer Jehangir had directed all assistant commissioners (ACs) to take action against illegal election material put up in different areas of the city in accordance with the law.



The deputy commissioner, who is also the civil officer appointed by the ECP to monitor general elections, had issued strict orders that all oversized political signboards, banners and posters should be removed and daily operations should be conducted in that regard.

The administration has warned candidates that a report on the violations will be sent to the ECP.

Dr Jahangir had further directed monitoring officers, including Headquarters AC Ashar Iqbal, Cantt AC Ambar Gilani, Saddar AC Tasneem Ali Khan, Gujar Khan AC Mahreen Faheem, Kahuta AC Ansar Hayat, City AC Liaquat Ali and others to ensure implementation of election code of conduct in their respective areas in Rawalpindi district.

The officers should immediately report any violation of the code of conduct to the respective AC, he said adding that officers should report illegal publicity material, billboards, hoardings, stemmers, panaflexes and banners.



“Removal of such publicity material is the responsibility of the AC concerned,” he added.

If a candidate is found repeating the office, a case should be reported to the district monitoring officer who would initiate legal action against the candidate.

He told that AC Headquarters has been nominated as the focal person by the local administration and in case of any problem, the monitoring officers can contact the focal person.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2018.