BAHAWALPUR, Aug 10: Hundreds of local poll candidates on Wednesday have registered their protest with the Election Commission of Pakistan against police for asking them to furnish ‘surety of good conduct’ for contesting the election.

The candidates, including those contesting for UC nazims and naib nazims’ slots and reserved seats, who were served the notices by their respective police stations in the city, have sent a memorandum on Wednesday to the police high-ups and the ECP. The candidates have sought protection from the ‘police harassment and pressure’ for submission of surety bonds regarding their good conduct.

In the memorandum, they alleged that police personnel ‘raided’ their houses late in the night and compelled them to furnish the surety bonds, causing harassment. They have demanded the police be barred from frequently visiting their houses to force them to submit the bonds.

Different city police stations had asked a total 528 candidates to submit the bonds, warning them that otherwise they could be barred from contesting the polls. Baghdad-ul-Jadid police station has served such notices to 124 candidates, Civil Lines PS to 164, Kotwali PS to 170 and Saddar PS to 70 candidates. The Cantonment police station has so far issued no such notice.