Apparent omission: No code of conduct yet for local government polls

LAHORE:

No code of conduct for local government elections has been revealed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The schedule was announced on December 9.

The delay in announcing a code of conduct might allow potential candidates to spend more than desired by law on their election campaigns.

According to the schedule announced by the ECP, local government elections are to be held on January 30.

Fresh nomination papers will be filed afresh as the nominations submitted to returning officers earlier envisaged party-less polls.

The Election Commission of Pakistan conventionally issues a detailed set of rules along with election schedule so that district administrations can keep a check on the campaign activities.

According to the schedule, nomination papers will be issued by December 20 and nominations will be received between December 22 and December 27.

Nominations would be notified on December 28 and objections would be heard on December 29. Scrutiny of nomination papers and publication of names of eligible candidates would happen done between December 30 and January 4.

Appeals against acceptance and rejection of nominations would be filed between January 6 and 7. Final decisions on appeals would be made between January 8 and 11. The candidates might withdraw nominations till January 12. The final list of candidates and their part symbols would be notified on January 13. Polling would be held on January 30 and official results would be announced on February 2.

The code of conduct typically includes rules on permissible sizes of posters, leaflets and banners and timings of public meetings. Potential candidates have already started campaigning. Banners and pictures have been placed in various parts of the city.

PHA Marketing Director Sohail Bhatti said no candidate was allowed to put up posters and streamers on main roads.

He said publicity on main roads would only be allowed after they received the code of conduct was notified by the ECP and revised rates determined for posters and streamers would also be issued.

He said candidates would be allowed to put up their posters after they paid for the advertising space.

Staff Officer to District Coordination Officer Mian Waheed said district administrations would start checking materials only after the code of conduct was issued by the ECP.

The ECP public relations officer agreed that the code of conduct is generally issued on the day the schedule was announced.

She said the ECP had remained busy with delimitation process which had delayed the announcement of the code of conduct. She said the ECP would announce the code of conduct in seven days.

She said candidates who had already paid for the nomination papers could attach a copy of the receipt to obtain new forms without additional payment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2013