ISLAMABAD, Oct 24: The Election Commission on Wednesday approved a draft code of conduct for political parties and candidates in the general elections.

Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Dilshad said at a press conference here that copies of the draft had been sent to more than 90 parties registered with the EC. He said the parties had been asked to submit their suggestions by Nov 3. The Election Commission would finalise the code of conduct after receiving feedback from the parties, he said, adding that positive suggestions would be incorporated in the final document.

Under the proposed code of conduct, ministers will be barred from combining their official visits with election campaign.

The parties and their candidates shall not hold public meetings or rallies on main streets, roads and chowks to avoid traffic jams and inconvenience to the public. The party or candidate shall inform the local administration of the venue and time of any proposed meeting well in time to enable police to make arrangements for controlling traffic and maintaining law and order.

The limit of election expenses has been proposed at Rs1.5 million and Rs1 million for National and Provincial Assembly seats, respectively.

No person or party will be allowed to affix larger posters, hoardings, banners or leaflets than the prescribed size. The commission has prescribed the maximum size of posters as 2ft-x-3ft, hoardings 3ft-x-5ft, banners 3ft x 9ft and leaflets and handbills nine inches-x-six inches. The local authorities and returning officers will be responsible for implementation of the restriction.

Under the draft, no advertisement, notice or announcement paid for from public funds will carry explicit or implicit reference, name, designation or photograph of any public functionary or holder of a state or public office to project himself as the originator, sponsor, promoter or organiser of any scheme, project, progress, ideology or vision. Issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media and misuse of official mass media during for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power will be avoided.

Processions shall not be taken out by one party along places at which meetings are being held by another party. Posters affixed by one party shall not be removed nor distribution of handbills and leaflets prevented by workers of another party.

The first clause of the draft states: “The political parties shall not propagate any opinion, or act in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality, or the maintenance of public order, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the armed forces of Pakistan, as provided under Article 63 of the Constitution.”

Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programmes, past record and work. Parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.

All parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are “corrupt practices” and offences under the election laws such bribing, intimidation and impersonation of voters, canvassing within 400 yards of a polling station and holding public meetings during the last 48 hours before polling.

Political parties and candidates have been asked to restrain their workers from exerting undue pressure against the print and electronic media, including newspaper offices and printing presses, or resorting to violence of any kind against the media. The parties and candidates have also been asked to refrain from making comments or commit any act which may prejudice Pakistan’s foreign relations. Controversial and harsh remarks about leaders of other countries and their ideologies shall be avoided.