ISLAMABAD, Aug 10: Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has warned he will take stern action against anyone barring women from local polls next week, and elections results in such areas will be cancelled.

Addressing a news conference held at the Election Commission on Wednesday after police and rights groups said candidates in parts of the NWFP were ganging up to stop women from casting votes, he said: “This is an electoral offence, legal action will be taken against anyone involved and such a poll will be void.”

Justice Dogar said that he had ordered district officials to investigate complaints about stopping women from filing nomination papers or casting votes.

He said that people responsible for a bizarre incident in Kohistan would be dealt with according to law and on confirmation of reports the elections would be declared void in the respective union council.

There had been reports that a candidate in Kohistan area had promised the hand of his daughter to another candidate if the latter withdrew his nomination papers.

“We took serious note of the reports and asked the district and sessions judge concerned to probe into the matter and send a report,” the CEC said.—Agencies

Our staff reporter adds: Justice Dogar said that 103 cases of political interference had been registered and recent transfers of 63 officers had been cancelled.

“I have also sought explanation from the authorities concerned for violating ban on transfers and postings,” he said.

Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Dilshad presented a detailed report on actions taken on complaints.

Justice Dogar dispelled an impression that the EC was not taking notice of complaints and said that with the announcement of the election campaign, the atmosphere got highly charged and, therefore, complaints were a natural phenomenon.

International observers have started arriving to monitor the local body elections. They would get adequate security and would be free to visit any polling station, he said, adding that a delegation of the Commonwealth had already arrived.

Heads of all political parties, he said, had been warned of action for participating in or sponsoring campaigns of candidates and had been asked to remove banners suggesting their support for any candidate.

Replying to a question about President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s canvassing in favour of a PML-backed candidate in Swat and the announcement of development schemes by the Punjab chief minister in Multan, Justice Dogar said that the District Returning Officers (DROs) concerned were taking appropriate actions against the complaints. Even a federal minister had been served a notice for violating the code of conduct.