ISLAMABAD, June 28: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday directed that the election campaign for the July 3 by-polls on the four provincial assembly seats would end on July 1. The four constituencies are PP-156 Lahore, PP-269 Bahawalpur, PP-275 Bahawalpur and PP-276 Bahawalpur.

In an announcement issued here on Monday, the Election Commission expressed its hope that the political parties and the candidates contesting the elections would follow the provisions of law and exercise self-restraint so that the elections would be held in a peaceful manner only July 3.

The Election Commission also drew the attention of contesting candidates for the by-elections towards the provisions of section 84 of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1976, which provides that: "No person shall convene, hold or attend any public meeting and no person shall promote or join in any procession within the area of the constituency during a period of 48 hours ending at midnight following the conclusion of the poll for an election in that constituency".

The commission said the law further prohibited personation for bogus voting, tampering with the ballot papers, canvassing within a radius of 400 yards or 366 metres of the polling stations and disorderly conduct in and around the polling stations on the election day.

The offenders are liable to be tried summarily by the mobile magistrates and the presiding officers and awarded punishment of imprisonment or fine or both, in accordance with law, the commission's announcement said.