The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday barred prospective candidates of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies from spending more than Rs 1.5 million and Rs 1 million, respectively, on election expenses. The commission also ordered all prospective candidates to open an account with a scheduled bank by April 4 and deposit the prescribed amount to meet election expenses, adding that all election expenditures should be made out of the deposited amount.
The commission also said that no candidate would be allowed to make any transaction for election expenses via any other account other than the account opened for this purpose. "All transactions relating to the election expenses shall be entered with GST registered firms...every contesting candidate shall maintain his account of election expenditure on day-to-day basis," it declared.
Each candidate shall submit to the district returning officer on every Thursday of the campaign period, a statement of election expenses made by him during the preceding week The commission also made it clear that no car rallies will be allowed to travel long distances except if they have pre-arranged corner meetings at specific designated places, adding the meetings shall be notified to the ordinary public by the local administration. "No person or a political party shall affix posters, hoardings or banners larger than the sizes prescribed below: Posters, 2-feet x 3-feet, hoardings, 3-feet x 5-feet, banners, 3-feet x 9-feet, leaflets/handbills, 9-inches x 6 inches. "No person or a political party shall hoist or fix party flags on any public property or at any public place, it said, adding except with the permission in writing from, and on payment of such fee or charges as may be chargeable by the concerned local government or authorities."
About wall chalkings, the commission said: "No candidate will be allowed to do so, besides putting a ban on using loudspeakers for the campaign except at the election meetings. It said that local administration will be responsible for making appropriate security arrangements and regulating such meetings in such a manner that equal opportunities were provided to the contesting candidates interested in holding rallies and meetings;
The Election Commission shall review all election activities including Jalsas, Jaloos and use of loudspeakers etc to ensure the fairness, justness and the honesty of the election process. The ECP also said that establishment of camps near polling stations on the polling day by political parties, candidates or their supporters in terms of Section 84 of the Act and the aforesaid judgement of the Supreme Court. "No political party or a contesting candidate or their supporters are allowed to distribute Perchis containing voters' details ie name, parentage, gharana number, serial number etc or any Perchis containing symbol of a political party or contesting candidate near or in the vicinity of polling station on the polling day ie within the radius of 400 yards of the polling station," it added.
The ECP will also depute a two member-team with a video camera to monitor the election process, including campaign expenditure, and observance of code of conduct by contesting candidates and political parties. The teams shall report to the Provincial Election Commissioner concerned on a daily basis, it added.
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