Transfers, postings in Punjab, Sindh banned

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday issued a directive/election code which says that all executive authorities in the Federation and the provinces shall neither announce any development project nor use the state resources in the local government (LG) polls to influence the electorate in favour of a particular candidate in the Punjab and Sindh provinces.

The ECP cautioned that if any person in the government service misuses his official position in any manner in order to influence the results of elections, he shall be liable to be proceeded against under Section 68 of the Sindh Local Government Act 2015.

It said that no transfer or posting of civil servants should be made after the issuance of the LG polls schedule without prior approval of the ECP till the publication of election results.

“Any holder of public office, who is found to have violated any provision of the election laws or instructions issued by the Election Commission, shall be proceeded against as mandated in law,” the ECP said.

The ECP also issued the schedule for the third and final phase of LG polls in 12 districts of Punjab and six of Sindh, fixing December 3 as the polling day.

Public notices will be issued by the Returning Officers (ROs) on September 28, while nomination papers will be filed with the ROs from October 3 to 7.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted between October 8 to 13. The last date for filing appeals against acceptance or rejection of appeals is October 30 and tribunals will decide them by November 5.

As per the schedule, the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is November 6 and a revised list of candidates will be published the following day.

The Punjab districts where LG elections will be held in the third phase are Layyah, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Jhang, Khushab, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan.

Six districts of Karachi, where elections are scheduled in the third phase, are Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi Central, Karachi South, Malir and Korangi.

Mehtab Haider adds: When contacted for comments after the meeting, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad said the commission had imposed a complete ban on transfers/postings for the upcoming LG polls as well as the by-elections in certain constituencies.

He said the ECP directed inspectors general police (IGP) of both Punjab and Sindh to remain neutral during the polls process as the commission would closely monitor their activities and would not spare all those who would use their official influence during the process.

The chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh asked the ECP to devise a mechanism for transfer/postings of those officials who are not directly or indirectly involved in the election process.

“In the light of the recommendations given by the provinces, now we will present a mechanism before the chief election commissioner for seeking his approval,” he added.

On the development schemes, he said the ECP summoned the federal secretary planning and additional secretaries of the two respective provincial governments in order to get an undertaking from them that no directives of top authorities on development schemes would be implemented during the election process. All discretionary funds of government functionaries as well as members of parliament would not be released.

All schemes which were not part of the Annual Development Plans (ADPs) would not be made part of development list till the completion of the election process of both the by-election and LG polls.

All advertisements appearing in the media on development, achievements or performance of government will be banned.

Keeping in view the complaints of certain political parties, he said that the IGPs were directed to ensure their neutrality during the polls.

The FBR has been directed not to transfer those officials who have been appointed as Returning Officers during the polls.

The ECP also directed the Islamabad administration to issue rules for holding the local government elections in the ICT. After consulting with the Ministry of Law, the rules for the ICT for holding the polls were issued.

This story was originally published in The News and may be accessed here