PESHAWAR: The Peshawar District Returning Officer (DRO) on Monday decided to initiate disciplinary action against around 80 presiding officers for not joining duty at the polling stations.

The DRO, Younas Khan, who is also the Peshawar district and sessions judge, has sent a joint letter to 14 departments informing the officers concerned about the said presiding officers not reporting at the polling stations till date.

The letter said that conduct of elections was a national duty and all the government servants were bound under article 220 of the constitution to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan.

“All the delinquent officials are liable to be proceeded against under section 55 of the Elections Act, 2017,” the DRO said, adding he had decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings against all the delinquent officers under the said rules.

The DRO also asked the officers concerned of the said departments to take strict disciplinary action against all those who absented themselves from the election duty.

Under the new law, the ECP has been empowered to take action against the government servants who have not been performing election duty.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2018