Code of conduct: ECP issued notice on plea against release of funds

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a notice on Monday to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a petition challenging the release of development funds by the provincial government after the schedule for local government elections had been announced.

Petitioner Muhammad Ashfaq submitted that the government had released more than Rs12 billion to its legislatures for development work.

This amounts to pre-poll rigging, Ashfaq said. He said the funds had been released in violation of the ECP’s code of conduct.

The petitioner said a complaint in this regard had been lodged with the ECP as well, but no action was taken on it. He requested the court to order the commission to take action against the government for releasing the funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2015.