RAWALPINDI: Assistant commissioners on Monday began receiving training to monitor the general election by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The training session was held at the deputy commissioner’s office and attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Finance and Planning) Rao Atif Raza, assistant commissioners Asher Iqbal, Amber Gillan, Tasneem Ali Khan, Mehreen Faheem, Ansar Hayat, Liaquat Ali and senior election commission officials.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Umer Jehangir told participants that the district administration has appointed Mr Iqbal as the focal person for election monitoring.

District monitoring officials will contact the focal person if they cannot reach their respective assistant commissioner to inform them of the election commission’s code of conduct.

Dr Jehangir said monitoring officials should announce code of conduct violations through the deputy commissioner as soon as possible. An awareness campaign has been launched by the ECP in various areas to motivate people to vote on July 25.

He directed officials to coordinate and cooperate with the commission.

Mr Raza also briefed the meeting on the ECP code of conduct and asked the district administration to expedite the removal of hoardings and banners that violate the code of conduct.

According to the code of conduct, he said, portraits should be 2ft x 3ft, banners should measure 3ft x 9ft, posters should measure 18 inches x 23 inches and handbills should not be larger than 6 inches x 9 inches. Panaflex banners and posters, as well graffiti are banned.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2018