KARACHI, Aug 22: Ambiguities in the nomination forms pertaining to defaulting on account of utility bills have confused the aspiring candidates.
Some of them intending to contest the elecions as independents are consulting lawyers and seeking clarification from the officials of the Election Commission in this regard.
They say in Condition 3 Section 2 it is not specified that the amount referred to for declaring a candidate ineligible is about government dues or charges on account of one utility bill or total utility bills.
Another confusion is whether the amount referred to ought to be against the aspiring candidate alone or inclusive of all bills even if getting separate bills despite dependents of his family.
On page two of the nomination form containing declaration and oath by the person nominated, Condition 2 Section (ii) reads:
I hereby solemnly declare to the best of my knowledge and belief that I, my spouse or any my dependents or a business concern mainly owned by me or the aforesaid, are not in default in payment of government dues or utility charges, including telephone, electricity, gas and water charges of an amount in excess of ten thousand rupees, for over six months, at the time of filing of the nomination papers.
The candidates apprehend that without clarification, any opponent, particularly candidates of “the kings” party, taking cover of the ambiguity in the form at any stage, can knock out potential candidates of any main stream political party.
They ssay if the Election Commission had called for lists of defaulters from the agencies providing utility services and institutions regarding government dues, as in the case of banks and financial institutions, that would have facilitated the matter, saved time of the Commission and helped it to ensure transparency in the scrutiny of candidates.
Another clarification required is about the value of written off loans as Condition 3 Section (i) reads: “No loan for an amount of two million rupees or more obtained from any bank, financial institution, cooperative society or corporate body in my own name or in the name of my spouse or any of my dependents, or by any business concern mainly owned by me or the aforesaid, stands unpaid for more than one year from the due date, or has been written of.”
Candidates are confused as to the position of a person who took a loan, say for Rs2 million or above, and cleared it after making only the principle amount and a fraction of it as service charges and the rest of the interest got written off; whether he is ineligibile or he is allowed to contest the elections.
The have urgd that the Election Commission should clarify thses matters as time is running fast with only three days left at their disposal.
