PTI knocks ECP’s door against DROs’ instructions

Ayub contends there is no provision in law that polling agents must belong to the same constituency

The former ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Thursday approached the Election Commission of Pakistan against the district returning officers for issuing a statement that polling agents should belong to the constituency concerned during the Punjab by-polls scheduled for July 17 (Saturday).

PTI Additional Secretary General Omar Ayub, through Advocate Kazi Sheharyar Iqbal, filed a petition with the ECP, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune.

The petitioner prayed that the returning officers be instructed not to “infringe the rights of the candidates by placing unlawful, unjustified and illegal embargos on candidates of different constituencies in lieu to the appointment of polling agents in order to ensure free, fair, transparent and impartial elections”.

The petitioner has contended that the returning officers of different constituencies appointed “have issued strict instructions to the candidates and their election agents that the polling agents appointed should belong to the same constituency, which is not in accordance with the law” and “such instructions given without any clarification on the end of the Election Commission show mala fide on the part of returning officers”.

The petition also cites a provision of Election Act 2017 in regards to the polling agent. “Section 77 (for polling agent) entails that the contesting candidate or his election agent may, before the commencement of or during the poll, appoint for each polling station as many polling agents as may be prescribed and shall give notice in writing to the presiding officer communicating the appointment.

“The appointment of a polling agent under Sub-section 1 may at any time be revoked by the candidate or his election agent and, when it is so revoked or if the polling agent dies, another person may be appointed by the candidate or his election agent as a polling agent and a notice of such appointment shall be given to the presiding officer.”

The petitioner pointed out that nowhere in the provision was it entailed that the “polling agent must belong to the same constituency and the appointment of the polling agents has been left to the sole discretion of the candidate or his election agent”.

Talking to the media persons outside the ECP office, the PTI leader said, “In Punjab by-elections, news is coming that DROs are saying that polling agents must belong to this constituency.”

Ayub said, “There is no provision in the law that polling agents must belong to the same constituency. Today, we have also filed a petition in this regard and the Election Commission as well as the DROs have been made parties.”

The PTI leader also accused the ruling “Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of using government machinery” in the Punjab by-elections.