ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: The Election Commission has taken up opposition’s complaints about some nazims campaigning for PML-Q candidates and directed the sessions judges concerned to take action against violation of rules.

“We know that there cannot be fair and free elections if nazims interfere in the process by taking sides. That is why we have decided to thoroughly inquire into the issue and those found guilty will be taken to task by the returning officers,” EC Secretary Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad told Dawn on Monday.

The issue, he said, was first taken up by the commission on Nov 20 when it received complaints from political parties and issued an executive order in this regard.

“We cannot afford to be complacent and that is why we are dealing with the issue of nazims on a day-to-day basis and this is helping us to minimise the issue to a major extent.”

He said the alleged involvement of nazims in the election process was bound to reduce after action taken by the returning officers.

The official said he had received a complaint from a former federal minister about interference of a nazim and action had been taken against him.

When contacted, National Reconstruction Bureau Chairman Danial Aziz said he was against involvement of nazims in the election process and wanted the Election Commission to take notice of it. But he opposed the demand of the political parties to suspend the local body institutions during the election.

Meanwhile, the EC announced that 7,335 candidates would contest the January 8 general elections for the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies.

An EC announcement said that after the withdrawal of candidature on Saturday, 2,252 aspirants had been left to run for the 272 general seats of the National Assembly and 5,083 contenders were vying for 577 seats of the four provincial assemblies.