GUJRANWALA, Oct 10: The Punjab Election Commission has banned canvassing by candidates for PP-93 by election and directed the political parties to follow the code of conduct.

According to survey conducted by this correspondent on Sunday, a tough contest is expected between PML's Engineer Ashraf Butt, son of former Mayor Haji Muhammad Aslam Butt, and ARD (PPP) aspirant Chaudhry Tariq Gujjar. MMA's Maulana Ashraf Jallali is learnt to have failed to attract people during election campaign launched for him by MMA MNA Maulana Qazi Hamidullah and other senior leaders.

Meanwhile, the MMA's nominee and his supporters have accused the government of using official machinery and funds for the campaign of the ruling party aspirant. "An army of ministers has been assigned the job of monitoring the election process," they allege. The district administration has completed all arrangements for conducting the by election.