Women Councillors Network (WCN) on Saturday held demonstration here in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) protesting unprecedented increase in the nomination fee for women contesting against the reserved seats in the district assemblies' polls.
The protesters including some councillors also called on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and asked for his intervention to the case where the respective provincial governments has increased nomination fee by making some amendments in the provincial election rules, it was learnt.
The increase, they said has been made in Punjab from Rs 1,500 to Rs 6,000 and Rs 2,000 from Rs 1,500 in Sindh.
They demanded of the CEC that nomination fee be reduced to the level of 2001 general election (i.e Rs 1500) so that socially, economically and politically marginalized segments of society could participate in the electoral process.
The CEC advised them to approach National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) on the issue, as the election commission was the body to only conduct the elections.
While sources in NRB told Business Recorder that women councillors were told the fee was increased by the provincial government by incorporating amendments in the Local Governments' Election Rules 2002.
They said it was the responsibility of provincial government to frame local governments' election whereas the NRB's role was to oversee the implementation.
The issue they said was being taken up today as the amendments were made on July 09, 2005. However, the women councillors will meet National Reconstruction Bureau (NBR) Chairman Danyal Aziz on Monday (tomorrow).
Farzana Bari said the Election Commission should immediately issue a notification for the withdrawal of fee, and threatened to launch public agitation in case the fee was not reduced.
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