ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued on Wednesday the code of conduct for the coming by-elections, barring the holders of public office, including the president, prime minister and chief ministers, from visiting the constituencies.
The by-elections for dozens of national and provincial assembly seats will be held on August 22.
Through a notification, the ECP has also barred “the executive authorities in the federation and the provinces” from using state resources and exercising undue influence affecting the interest of a candidate or a party in those constituencies where by-elections will be held.
The notification has been issued under articles 218(3) and 220 of the constitution, read with Section 104 of the Representation of the People’s Act 1976. The commission has also banned “bulk transfers and postings” of civil servants till completion of the election process.
The holders of public office, who have been barred from visiting the constituencies or making promise for giving donation to any institution of a constituency, also include the chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate, federal and state ministers, governors, provincial ministers and advisers.
They cannot “inaugurate, commit to undertake or announce any development project for the advancement of the campaign of a candidate”.
Through another notification, the ECP has made it mandatory for the candidates and political parties to inform the local administration about their schedule of public meetings at least one week in advance. Wall-chalking for election campaign is completely prohibited.
The ECP has once again barred the political parties and candidates from providing transport for carrying voters to polling stations.
The by-elections are being held to fill the vacancies created by resignations of winners of more than one seat in the May 11 elections or death of contesting candidates prior to the polls.
The 14 National Assembly constituencies where by-elections will be on Aug 22 are: NA-1 (Peshawar), NA-5 (Nowshera), NA-13 (Swabi), NA-25 (D.I. Khan-cum-Tank), NA-27 (Lakki Marwat), NA-48 (Islamabad), NA-68 (Sargodha), NA-71 (Mianwali), NA-83 (Faisalabad), NA-129 (Lahore), NA-177 (Muzaffargarh), NA-235 (Sanghar), NA-254 (Karachi) and NA-262 (Killa Abdullah).
The 19 provincial assembly constituencies are: PP-6 (Rawalpindi), PP-51 (Faisalabad), PP-118 (Mandi Bahauddin), PP-123 (Sialkot), PP-142 (Lahore), PP-150 (Lahore), PP-161 (Lahore), PP-193 (Okara), PP-210 (Lodhran), PP-217 (Khanewal), PP-247 (Rajanpur), PP-254 (Muzaffargarh), PP-289 (Rahimyar Khan) and PP-292 (Rahimyar Khan) in Punjab; PK-23 (Mardan) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; PS-64 (Mirpurkhas) and PS-95 (Karachi) in Sindh; and PB-32 (Jhal Magsi) and PB-44 (Lasbela) in Balochistan.