No unfair advantage: State executives barred from visiting polling area
ECP also freezes bulk transfers/postings of civil servants.
Election commission offices. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan has issued a set of directions asking executive authorities of the state not to use state resources to create an unfair advantage for a particular political party or candidate.
The directives bar the prime minister, chief ministers, federal ministers, state ministers and advisers to the president from visiting constituencies or polling stations now that the election schedule has been issued.
They were issued in light of constitutional provisions that empower the commission to make “arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission said, “If any person in the service of Pakistan misuses his official position in any manner calculated to influence the result of the election, he may be tried by a Court of Sessions as contemplated under Section 95 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 and, if found guilty of the offence, may be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with a fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both under Section 92 of the Act.”
In addition, the commission also put a bar on the bulk transfers/postings of civil servants. “Individual transfers/postings of civil servants shall also not be made after the issuance of schedule of election except under exceptional circumstances, in exigency of service and in public interest, with prior approval of the Election Commission.”
If any of the public office holders is found to have misused his official position to influence the result of an election in any manner whatsoever, legal action shall be taken against such person in accordance with law under section 103A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, relating to contempt proceedings, the statement added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2013.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has issued a set of directions asking executive authorities of the state not to use state resources to create an unfair advantage for a particular political party or candidate.
The directives bar the prime minister, chief ministers, federal ministers, state ministers and advisers to the president from visiting constituencies or polling stations now that the election schedule has been issued.
They were issued in light of constitutional provisions that empower the commission to make “arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission said, “If any person in the service of Pakistan misuses his official position in any manner calculated to influence the result of the election, he may be tried by a Court of Sessions as contemplated under Section 95 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 and, if found guilty of the offence, may be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with a fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both under Section 92 of the Act.”
In addition, the commission also put a bar on the bulk transfers/postings of civil servants. “Individual transfers/postings of civil servants shall also not be made after the issuance of schedule of election except under exceptional circumstances, in exigency of service and in public interest, with prior approval of the Election Commission.”
If any of the public office holders is found to have misused his official position to influence the result of an election in any manner whatsoever, legal action shall be taken against such person in accordance with law under section 103A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, relating to contempt proceedings, the statement added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2013.