ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has prepared a draft code of conduct for the 2018 general elections, which proposes a blanket ban on all public rallies, advertisements in electronic and print media, billboards, hoardings, banners, posters, flyers, wall-chalking, loudspeakers and car rallies during election campaigns.

The draft code that has been shared with major political parties for their input — a copy of which is available with Dawn — says that only corner meetings and the use of megaphones will be permitted, that too with the foreknowledge of the district administration, under intimation to the ECP.

Political parties may still conduct door-to-door canvassing, as well as collecting and distributing details of voters as per the electoral rolls.

Under the proposed law, which retains the provision of operating dedicated bank accounts for election expenses, says that any election expense incurred by an individual or entity on behalf of any candidate shall be deemed to be an expense incurred by the candidate himself.

A ECP senior official told Dawn the proposed code of conduct had been sent to the 16 major political parties represented in parliament. The parties, he said, have been invited for consultations on the draft code on Oct 26, which will be followed by consultations with civil society and the media.

The final draft of the code will be ready in early December, he said.

The ECP official said the code had been drafted in line with the Supreme Court’s judgement in the Watan Party case and was meant to allow the average citizen to also contest elections on a level-playing field with their more affluent opponents.

The draft code suggests a complete ban on political advertisements of contesting candidates and political parties on print and electronic media. Only state media shall be utilised for political and electoral promotion, with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) being tasked with ensuring equal air-time for all political parties and contesting candidates.

Issuing advertisements from the public exchequer in newspapers and other media and the misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity by the federal, provincial and local governments shall be prohibited.

Public office holders barred from participating in an election campaigns include the president, governors, prime minister, chief ministers, cabinet members and advisers to the prime minister and the chief ministers, chairman and deputy chairman senate and speaker and deputy speaker of national and provincial assemblies.

However, this time, members of parliament and the national and provincial assemblies have not been specifically mentioned among those to be affected by such a bar in the proposed code for next general polls.

The draft code proposes to punish political parties and contesting candidates who malign the ECP in any manner whatsoever under the powers of contempt, enshrined in Section 103 of the Representation of Peoples Act (Ropa), 1976.

“The political parties and candidates shall abide by all directions, instructions and regulations, issued by the Commission from time to time, relating to smooth conduct of elections, maintenance of public order and morality,” it reads.

It also points out that Article 218 (3) of the Constitution empowers the ECP to guard against corrupt practices, including bribery, impersonation, undue influence, capturing of polling stations or polling booths, tampering with papers and making or publishing a false statement or declaration, exceeding the limit of election expenses, provision of vehicle for transportation of voters to and from the polling stations or prevent voters from casting their votes etc.

“The violation of code of conduct shall entail punitive action i.e declaring an election void for corrupt/illegal practices,” it reads.

The draft says all contesting candidates and their supporters shall avoid all activities which are offences under the election laws, such as bribery, intimidation and impersonation and says that violation shall entail punishment under the law contained in accordance with relevant provisions of Chapter VIII of Ropa 1976.

Published in Dawn October 20th, 2016