Code of conduct: ECP bans announcing uplift schemes

Ministers, advisers and senior officials in the public sector are banned from announcing any schemes.

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has placed a ban on all government officials from announcing uplift schemes in constituencies where by-polls have been scheduled for August 22. Giving details of a notification issued in this regard on Friday, an ECP official said all ministers, advisers, special assistants and senior officials in the public sector are banned from announcing any schemes. He added the ECP is taking all steps necessary to ensure transparent by-elections. The official maintained the decision was taken according to the code of conduct advised by the ECP headquarters in Islamabad. He added according to Article 218 of the Constitution, it was the ECP’s duty to organise and conduct elections and make necessary arrangements to ensure the polls were conducted honestly, fairly and in accordance with the law and that corrupt practices were stopped.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2013.