CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER REVIEWS THE ARRANGEMENTS OF BYE-ELECTIONS IN 6 CONSTITUENCIES OF PUNJAB PROVINCE.
Lahore the 3rd December, 2005.- Mr. Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Acting Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, presided over a high level meeting in the office of the Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, Lahore, which was attended by Mr. K.M. Dilshad, Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan, Mr. Salman Saddique, Chief Secretary, Govt. of the Punjab, Mr. Rahim Nawaz Khan Durrani, Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, Mr. Zia-ul-Hassan, Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Mr. Najeeb Ullah Malik, Additional Chief Secretary, Mr. Khusro Pervaiz, Secretary, Home Department, Govt. of the Punjab and Rana Muhammad Aslam Khan, Assistant Election Commissioner (Elections) Punjab. The District Returning Officers of the concerned districts were also present in the meeting. The CEC was briefed about the arrangements made for the conduct of transparent and credible bye-elections in Constituency No. NA-64 Sargodha, NA-132 Sheikhupura, NA-180 Muzaffargarh, NA-189 Bahawalnagar, PP-33 Sargodha and PP-117 Mandi Bahauddin. The Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police Punjab briefed meeting that every possible effort would be made to make these bye-elections absolutely credible and fair. Although previous history in terms of law and order, of these constituencies is satisfactory however, fool proof arrangements are being made through deployment of Police contingency to avoid any un-wanted incident. All the District Returning Officers showed their satisfaction on the arrangements and the cooperation being extended by the Local Administration.
2- The CEC emphasized that these bye-elections are being looked very strictly and no leniency at any stage be showed and every pre-cautionary measurement be adopted to make these bye-elections transparent, fair and credible in an absolute peaceful atmosphere. The CEC said that every functionary who has been entrusted with the election duty is being compensated by the ECP. The Judicial Officers have been paid with Honoraria equal to one month their basic pay for conduct of Local Government Elections. He further said that transportation charges has been increased hundred percent from Rs.500 per polling station to Rs.1000 per polling station.
3- Earlier the Secretary, ECP Mr. Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said that all the arrangement at the end of the ECP have been completed in all the constituencies where bye-elections are going to be held on 17th December, 2005. There are 23 candidates contesting election in 6 constituencies, 4 National Assembly constituencies and 2 Provincial Assembly constituencies. For this purpose 1253 Polling Stations have been established in these constituencies to cater 1399887 voters.