Local government polls: ECP, parties agree on ‘unrealistic’ code

Set improbable limit of election campaign expenditures

ISLAMABAD:

The mainstream political parties and the top poll supervisory body have agreed to a grossly unrealistic maximum limit of campaign expenditures for the upcoming local government elections.

In a recent meeting at its headquarters, the Election Commission of Pakistan shared with the political parties its ‘code of conduct’ for the upcoming LG polls in Punjab and Sindh.

Under the code, candidates for the councillor seat can spend no more than Rs20,000 during their election campaign. The expenditure limit for other categories of seats is not only unrealistic but will be almost impossible to follow for an overwhelming number of candidates.

Any proven major violation of the code can evoke stern penalties, including disqualification and unseating of a winner. Interestingly, when the ECP gave a briefing to the representatives of the political parties on Thursday, none of the senior politicians objected to such rules. It is hard to believe that the parties’ representatives did not know that their candidates will have to violate these laws as they are unrealistic.

According to the ECP briefing – a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune – the candidates running for municipal committee and union council seats, commonly known as councillors, can spend up to Rs20,000 on their election campaign.

Those contesting for the chairman or vice chairman of a union council can spend a maximum of Rs100,000 on their election campaign.

The process of long-delayed LG elections in Punjab and Sindh started earlier this month. The polls will be held in three phases with balloting for the first phase scheduled for October 31. Voting in the second phase will be held on November 19 and the third phase on December 3.

The ECP has notified the districts in both provinces that will go to polls in each phase.

There will be one metropolitan corporation in each of these provinces – Lahore in Punjab and Karachi in Sindh. Those contesting for the slots of mayor and deputy mayor of these cities can spend up to Rs200,000 on their election campaigns, as per the agreed code of conduct.

Similarly, Rs200,000 is the expenditure limit for contestants for chairman and vice chairman of district council – an office equal to that of a mayor and encompassing the whole district. Those running for chairman and vice chairman of a union council can spend up to Rs50,000 on their election campaigns.

Under the law, after the polling process is completed, the winners will have to file an affidavit to the ECP, saying on oath that they have not violated any clause of the code of conduct.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2015.