ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan has warned against violation of the code of conduct during the local government (LG) elections in cantonments and said that action will be taken against those found violating the code.

He was talking to a delegation of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek that called on him in the leadership of Khurram Nawaz Gandapur on Thursday.

The CEC said that if evidence of guilt was available, the commission would spare no one indulging in violation of the code of conduct and law.

Also read: LG polls in cantonments: campaign expenses fixed at Rs200,000

The delegation accused the PML-N of violating the code and alleged that Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq was addressing corner meetings in cantonment areas.

It said that strict implementation of the code of conduct during the LG polls in cantonments was a test case for the commission, because local government elections would also be held in three provinces and Islamabad shortly.

The delegation was briefed about preparations for LG polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad. The issue pertaining to delimitation also came under discussion.

Earlier, the commission adjourned the hearing of a petition seeking disqualification of a PML-N member of KP Assembly, Wajihuz Zaman, till April 9. The ECP was informed that Mr Zaman’s counsel was abroad and would return to the country on April 7.

Mr Zaman faces the allegation of proposing non-PML-N candidates during the recent Senate elections thereby violating the party discipline.

The commission also adjourned till Friday the hearing of a disqualification reference against Javed Naseem, a member of the PK Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. He is also accused of violating party discipline during the Senate elections by proposing a non-party candidate.

But experts believe that the scope of the disqualification law is limited and it does not cover the ‘offence’ of polling vote in Senate elections against the decision of a party.

BY-POLLS: The ECP has announced schedule for by-elections on the PK-95 (Lower Dir) constituency which fell vacant after election of Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq to the Senate. He was earlier elected a member of the provincial assembly from the constituency.

According to the schedule, the returning officer will issue a public notice inviting nomination papers on March 30. The papers will be received on April 2 and 3, and scrutinised on 6 and 7. April 10 has been set as the last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers and April 15 will be the last date for disposal of appeals. April 16 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature and final list of candidates will be issued the next day. The polling will take place on May 7.

SENATORS NOTIFIED: The commission has issued a notification about the election of Aurengzeb Khan, Taj Mohammad Afridi, Haji Momin Khan Afridi and Sajjad Hussain as senators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

It, however, said that the notification was subject to a decision on a petition filed by former federal minister Abbas Khan Afridi in the Islamabad High Court, challenging the procedure for the polls.

On March 19 – a day before the polling for four Senate seats from Fata – the IHC conditionally allowed the holding of the election. “…If the court comes to the conclusion that the elections had proceeded on the basis of an instrument, which was ultra vires the constitution, it would obviously render the elections being void,” the court held.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2015

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