ISLAMABAD: Ahead of by-polls in 37 national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies scheduled for Oct 14, the Returning Officer (RO) of PP-27 (Jhelum-III) has issued notices to two federal ministers for violating the code of conduct.

Notices — copies of which are available with Dawn — signed by RO Khurshid Alam stated that federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan along with the contesting candidate Raja Shahnawaz visited the constituency and promised various development schemes at a public gathering in Khewra, Pind Dadan Khan tehsil of Jhelum district. The constituency is part of PP-27.

The notices state “it is clear violation of Section 233 of the Election Act, 2017, and subsequent code of conduct that clearly bar visits of ministers etc, and announcements or inauguration of developmental schemes in the constituencies where election schedule has been announced”.

It further stated that the president, prime minister, Senate chairman/deputy chairman, speaker/deputy speaker of an assembly, federal ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial ministers and advisers to the prime minister and chief ministers, mayors, their deputies and other public office holders shall not participate in election campaign in any manner whatsoever.

Fawad and Sarwar visited the constituency of a candidate and promised development of the area

“Moreover, they shall not announce or inaugurate, openly or in secret, their overall development schemes or development work or do anything which tends to influence the results of an election in favour of or against a particular candidate or political party after the announcement of the election programme till the day of polling and shall not give any subscription or donation, or make promise, to any institution of their respective constituency or to any other institution,” the notice said.

The ministers and the candidate were directed to appear before the RO in person or through counsel on Oct 9 at 11am and explain their positions as to why they should not be proceeded against Article 204 of the Constitution and other related Sections of the Election Acts, 2017 and 2018.

They have been informed that if they failed to appear before the RO, the matter would be forwarded to the Election Commission of Pakistan for necessary action.

When contacted, petroleum minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan told Dawn that he went to the constituency to visit the department of his ministry as employees and other stakeholders had a number of issues which needed to be settled.

He said that a rest house of his ministry was also located there so it was not unusual to go there and stay for a while.

“Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry reached there by chance as it was his native area and his constituency is also located there. It was just a coincidence,” he said.

While replying to a question, Mr Khan said that contesting candidate Raja Shahnawaz was not present there at all. “I believe the media had published stories due to which RO has taken notice. We will clarify our position and hopefully matter would be resolved,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2018