ECP agrees to review transfers, postings ban

Says there is no bar on heads of political parties campaigning for their candidates

ISLAMABAD:

The country’s top polls supervisory body agreed on Monday to review a key protocol for a blanket ban on transfers and postings of government officials once an election schedule is unveiled.

The decision came in a meeting at the headquarters of the Election Commission of Pakistan after the chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh claimed the ban affected day-to-day functioning of government departments, including those that have no direct or indirect involvement in the election process, sources said.

Under the existing code of conduct, the ECP notifies a ban on all transfers and postings along with the notification of an election schedule. In exceptional cases, public departments can approach the body and seek its approval before making any new appointments.

Since local government elections in Punjab and Sindh are scheduled to be held in three phases, the ban might remain in place for up to five months: from the day polling schedule is announced till the election process completes in December this year.

The chief secretaries of both provinces argued that such a ban would affect the everyday working of government offices, most of which had no direct link with the election process. On their insistence, the ECP promised to review the rules and get back to them, sources told The Express Tribune.

At the meeting, the two provinces’ police chiefs also expressed fears that it would be difficult for them to maintain law and order during LG poll campaigns, especially during the first phase scheduled for October 31, sources said.

The election dates coincide with Moharram, especially the first 10 days of the holy month when extra security is needed to avoid sectarian violence. “We deduce these IGPs were indirectly pleading to put forward the polling date though they did not say it directly,” said an official who attended the meeting.

In his briefing to the media, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob also admitted that the IGPs has warned of possible terrorist attacks during the poll campaign. He added that deployment of army or Rangers would be considered keeping in view the situation and demands of provincial governments.

To a question, Yaqoob said there was no bar on heads of parties to campaign for their candidates but since Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is a National Assembly member, he could not be allowed to canvass in the upcoming by-elections. He said the restriction applied on every lawmaker be they from the treasury or opposition benches.

Yaqoob said the commission had not given a ‘clean chit’ to the Kissan Package announced by the prime minister last week after critics accused the ruling party of bringing the multibillion-rupee package to lure rural voters. The ECP official said the commission would come up with its official stance on the issue within a couple of days.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2015.