ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: All the political parties, intending to participate in the forthcoming elections, will submit documents of intra-party elections and audit reports, showing expenses and sources of their income, on Monday.

The Election Commission has already made it clear that all political parties are required to meet the provisions of the Political Parties Order, 2002, and in case of failure they would not be entitled to apply for allotment of election symbols.

The EC also publicized the relevant provisions of the Political Parties Order, 2002, which target those parties which fail to conduct intra-party polls and give a complete statement of their finances.

The Election Commission, after satisfying itself that the certificates submitted by the parties fulfilled the requirements of Articles 11, and 12 of the PPO, would publish those in the official gazette.

An official of the EC said if the Election Commission came to the conclusion that the documents and information submitted by a political party were not in conformity with the PPO, it would return the same to the relevant political party for re-submission in accordance with the provisions of the PPO.

The parties are required to submit their constitution, certificate and other documents through an office-bearer of the party, duly authorised by the party leader.

The EC has clearly stated that it would not entertain any such document transmitted through post, fax or courier service.

Almost all the major political parties, including the PPP, PML(N) and PML(QA), have completed intra-party elections.

The PPP elected Benazir Bhutto as party head despite promulgations made in the law, under which a person, who is absconding or convicted, even on non-appearance in a court of law, cannot head a political party.

The PML(N) has, apparently, played its cards well and changed the party head. Shahbaz Sharif is neither absconder nor convicted.

The Political Parties Order, 2002, requires every political party, including a political party already in existence, has to amend its constitution.

The PPO also requires that the intra-party polls certificate must contain the following information:

(a) the date of the last intra-party elections; (b) the names, designations and addresses of the party leader and all other office-bearers elected at the federal, provincial and local levels, wherever applicable; (c) the election results, including the total number of votes cast and the number of votes secured by each contestant for all of its party offices; and (d) copy of the party’s notifications declaring the results of the election.

The Election Commission is required to publish for public information the certificate, including details of elections, providing an opportunity to the opponents to challenge the validity of the elections.

The political alliances are also required to go through the same process.

ELECTORAL ROLLS: Meanwhile, the Election Commission announced on Sunday that the final electoral rolls will be put on display on Monday.

An official announcement said that the final electoral rolls had been provided to all the districts and tribal agencies and would be displayed throughout the country on Monday.

The electoral rolls will be displayed in the offices of registration officers, assistant election commissioners concerned, offices of the assistant registration officers concerned and at some prominent public buildings, like school or local council office.

Preparations for the fresh electoral rolls were started on Jan 1, 2002, with house-to-house visits by enumerators and supervisors appointed for the purpose.

The EC announcement said at the request of some political parties the last date of enumeration was extended up to Feb 11, 2002, and the enumeration forms were published in all major newspapers for the facility of voters.

The draft electoral rolls were published on April 4, 2002, for inviting claims, objections and applications for corrections. These claims, objections etc., were disposed of by the revising authorises, who were appointed from among judicial officers on the recommendations of the chief justices of respective high courts.

In the meantime, the qualifying age for the voters was lowered from 21 years to 18 years. All those who attained the age of 18 years on Jan 1, 2002, also became eligible for enrolment as voters.

It said the draft rolls that contained names of voters of 18 to 20 years of age, were also published on May 17, 2002, for filing of claims, objections and applications for corrections by the eligible voters. These claims, objections etc., were also adjudicated upon by the revising authorities drawn from the judiciary.

The final electoral rolls will remain displayed for a week from Aug 5, 2002, and can be inspected at above mentioned places.