ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: The Election Commission of Pakistan, accepting demands of political parties, has taken a number of steps to provide a level playing field to every candidate to ensure fair, free and impartial atmosphere in the forthcoming general elections.

This is for the first time in the history of the country that the EC has taken steps in response to political parties’ demands.

The latest step taken by the EC is rescheduling of election schedule which provides two extra days for filing of nomination papers.

It was also the first time that election symbols were allotted to various political parties at the EC office after an open and candid hearing in the presence of media and representatives of all the political parties.

All the members of the EC spent two days listening to the arguments of political parties in favour of their favourite election symbols and then the decision was taken in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Previously, such election symbols were allotted by the returning officers in their respective offices.

The EC, after receiving documents from the political parties under the Political Parties Order, 2002, scrutinized them and declared 55 political parties eligible to contest the forthcoming general elections.

Then the EC provided a chance to the rejected parties to file review petition and the Commission allowed 20 more political parties as eligible to contest the elections.

One party, Pakistan Muslim League (Zia ul Haq Group) led by Ejaz ul Haq, after being rejected by the EC, filed an appeal before the high court which declared him eligible to contest the elections. Another important move of the EC was to issue clear directives that the sitting ministers and governors must resign before contesting the elections.

The Commission issued special directives that the nomination papers of any minister or governor cannot be accepted by the Returning Officers without their resignations.

Some Nazims and Naib Nazims also showed their interest to participate in the elections.

The EC listened to the demands of the political parties on the issue and set the same condition for them as it had set for ministers — that they will have to resign first from their offices before standing in the elections.

Then, the EC also turned lenient in respect of the condition requiring candidates to submit letter of affiliation of their parties along with the nomination papers.

A number of political parties had pointed out that this requirement could be used against their potential candidates through rejecting their nomination papers during scrutiny and they will not have a chance for any covering candidate.—APP