ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday barred federal and provincial ministers, ministers of state, advisers, chairmen of parliamentary committees, senators and members of the national or provincial assemblies from entering polling stations during the local government elections 2005.

EC Secretary Kanwar Dilshad told journalists that acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar had dispatched letters to the district returning officers directing them not to allow any minister or adviser to enter polling stations during the voting.

The first phase of the elections will be held on August 18 in 54 districts and the second phase on 25 in rest of the 56 districts.

The CEC has also disallowed to the carrying and use of mobile telephones by election agents or polling agents inside polling stations during polling hours and till conclusion of vote counting.

The decision had been made to ensure smooth and orderly polling, the secretary said.

Clause 27 of the Local Government Elections Rules empowers a presiding officer to regulate the number of voters to be admitted to the polling stations at a time, and exclude all others, except candidates and those on poll duty, like election and polling agents.

Answering a question, Mr Dilshad said, the provincial governments had informed the EC that they considered 10 districts in Punjab, eight in Balochistan and four in Sindh — including Karachi — as sensitive areas where a law and order situation could arise on polling day.

It is the responsibility of the provincial governments to maintain law and order and provide security at polling stations, he said, adding that during recent meetings, the provincial administrations had assured the CEC of making all out efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity during polling.

Deployment of security forces would be made only on the request of a provincial government, he said.

Meanwhile, election campaign ended on Tuesday midnight after which no candidate will be allowed to canvass within 200 meters of a polling station.