KARACHI: Political parties, candidates and their supporters have been ordered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to refrain from barring women from contesting elections or casting their votes in a code of conduct released for the local government (LG) elections in Sindh scheduled to be held from Oct 31 to Dec 3 in three phases, officials said on Wednesday.

“Political parties, candidates contesting elections, their supporters or any other individuals should neither encourage nor be part of any formal or informal arrangement or deal which is aimed at depriving women from contesting any election or casting their votes,” said the code of conduct devised by the ECP for political parties and candidates for the LG elections in Sindh.

Instead, it added, political parties and candidates should encourage women’s participation in the electoral process.

It also barred the prime minister, chairman and deputy chairman of the senate, speakers and deputy speakers of national and provincial assemblies, federal ministers, ministers of state, chief ministers, provincial ministers, advisers to the prime minister and chief ministers, senators, MNAs, MPAs and others belonging to the government from taking part — directly or indirectly — in the election campaigns of any candidate; none of them should visit any union council, union committee or ward during elections.

None of the government functionaries and public representatives including those in the local governments, would announce any development schemes nor take any action that was tantamount to benefiting or harming any candidate during elections.

The ECP has announced upper caps for expenses on campaigns. For candidates contesting for union councils, union committees, town committees and municipal committees, it should not exceed Rs50,000. The candidates vying for district council and municipal or metropolitan corporations seats are not to spend more than Rs100,000.

The code also bars the federal, provincial and local governments from using the public exchequer for publishing advertisements in newspapers and other media outlets. Besides, use of state media for biased publicity and reporting during elections will be completely banned.

Moreover, any means that raise suspicions about a boundless use of money for publicity — distribution and dissemination of pamphlets through helicopters, etc — are also banned.

Political parties and candidates have also been asked to stop their workers from pressurising newspapers and electronic media.

“All sorts of violence against the media are banned,” declared the code.

It also prohibited carrying or brandishing firearms during electioneering and on polling day the ban will remain in force for 24 hours after the final results are compiled by the returning officers.

Candidates are allowed to hold corner meetings but not large public meetings during LG elections for which they should inform the local administration in advance for security arrangements. However, such meetings should not disrupt traffic.

The candidates will be permitted to use posters not larger than 3x2ft and banners up to 9x3ft for their publicity drives. No publicity material would be permitted to be used inside 100 metres to a polling station.

Phase I of elections are scheduled on Oct 31 in Sukkur and Larkana divisions, while LG elections in Hyderabad, Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas divisions would be held in phase-II on Nov 19. In the final phase, the LG polls would be held in the six districts of Karachi.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2015

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