Election Commission Of Pakistan Officials, Parliamentarians Meet To Discuss Code Of Conduct For Senate Polls

Provincial Election Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Presiding Officer for Senate Elections 2018, Pir Maqbool Ahmad Thursday chaired a meeting of parliamentary leaders of political parties in KP assembly to discuss code of conduct for upcoming elections of Upper House of Parliament scheduled for Saturday

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 01st Mar, 2018 ) :Provincial Election Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Presiding Officer for Senate Elections 2018, Pir Maqbool Ahmad Thursday chaired a meeting of parliamentary leaders of political parties in KP assembly to discuss code of conduct for upcoming elections of Upper House of Parliament scheduled for Saturday.

According to a press release issued here, the meeting was attended by MPA Imtiaz Shahid from PTI, Aurangzeb Nalota of PML-N, Mehmood Ahmad Bittani of JUI (F), Provincial Minister for LG, Inayatullah from JI, Sardar Hussain Babak from ANP, Sikander Hayat Sherpao from QWP, Nighat Aurakzai from PPP and officials of Election Commission.

During the meeting Presiding Officer, Pir Maqbool Ahmad stressed upon the parliamentary leaders to ensure implementation of elections rules by ensuring secrecy and sanctity of ballot paper so that senate elections could be held amicably and in peaceful atmosphere.

In the meeting, Election Commission officials briefed the parliamentary leaders about ensuring ballot secrecy and the polling process.

Provincial Election Commissioner said it would be ensured that no voter discloses secrecy of his vote by exposing his favor.

Similarly, he continued, no voter would be allowed to take ballot paper out from the polling station. In case of violation of elections rules the ballot paper of the voter will be cancelled and the violator can also face punishment in accordance with 174, 184 and 185 of Election Act 2017, he warned.

Pir Maqbool apprised parliamentary leaders that special security measures have been taken for ensuring peaceful holding of polling. The parliamentary leaders also made some suggestions which were appreciated by election commission officials with assurance of implementation.

It merits a mention here that 26 candidates are vying for 11 seats of Senate on March 3. According to break-up of 26 candidates, 13 are contesting for seven seats of general category, five in the run for two seats of Technocrats and Ulema and eight candidates are contesting for two vacant seats of women. The polling will be held on Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm at provincial assembly.