ECP completes printing of nomination forms
14 March, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed the printing of new nomination forms and has no intention to consider the reservations raised by the Law Ministry while, according to an agency report, the ECP has established a secret cell for monitoring the election activities of political parties. The electoral body has decided to print as many as 180 million ballot papers for the upcoming general elections and the provincial election commissioners have also been asked to prepare polling schemes, as the National Assembly completes its term on March 16. About 20 million additional ballot papers will also be printed. It is expected that the process of nomination forms reaching the respective destinations across Pakistan will be completed by March 18.The ECP is firm on its position that polling stations will be established in the government buildings only and female presiding officers will be deployed at women polling stations. As in the past, ballot papers for the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies will be printed separately and for women and minorities voters, these will be of different distinctive colours. Meanwhile, the ECP has invited the attention of political parties to the provisions of Section 47A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, which inter-alia provides that the political parties intending to take part in upcoming general elections are required to submit to the Election Commission, lists of nominated candidates in order of priority for the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies. Such party lists may contain as many names of additional candidates as a political party may deem necessary for contesting elections to the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims to provide for any disqualification of candidates during scrutiny of nomination papers or filling of any vacant seats during the term of National Assembly and the provincial assemblies, as the case may be. The ECP said the political parties shall submit respective lists of their candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for non-Muslims in the National Assembly with Muhammad Imtiaz Alam, Director General (Admin), ECP, Islamabad/returning officer for the seats reserved for non-Muslims in the National Assembly on or before March 24, 2013. Likewise, the lists of nominated candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for women in the National Assembly and reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the provincial assemblies should be submitted on or before 24th March, 2013, positively to the concerned provincial election commissioners, who have been appointed as returning officers for the seats in their respective provinces. Online adds: The ECP has established a secret cell for monitoring the election activities of political parties.The cell will monitor the activities of political parties round the clock and will present its report to the chief election commissioner on daily basis. Sources said that the monitoring cell would work at the Centre and all the provincial and district members of the commission would also be its members. Report on any type of misconduct would be sent to the monitoring cell.Processions and rallies would be totally monitored to check display of arms, buying and selling of votes and unrestrained use of money. End.
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