Special Initiatives:

BYE-ELECTIONS

• After General Elections 2018, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) conducted (32) bye-elections in National Assembly, (42) bye-elections in Provincial Assembly Punjab, (10) bye-elections in Provincial Assembly of Sindh, (13) bye-elections in Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and (5) bye-elections in Provincial Assembly of Balochistan.
• Election were also held during Covid-19 Pandemic and strictly in accordance with cardinal principles of transparency and fairness as enshrined in the Constitution and Election Act, 2017.
• All the NCOC’s guidelines were strictly adhered to minimize exposure to Covid-19. Moreover, ECP ensured safety of the voters/public during the elections by taking all necessary measures for maintenance of law and order during volatile security conditions.
• Bye-Election in NA-75 Sialkot-IV, held on 19th February 2021, was marred by unrest and violence. The ECP was forced to withhold the results due to disappearance of Presiding Officers and ordered re-poll in NA-75 Constituency. Two fact finding inquiry committees were constituted by ECP in order to identify the officers responsible for dereliction of duty on the poll day including disappearance of Presiding Officers. In light of reports of two inquiries, criminal proceedings have been initiated against twenty-three (23) officers including Ex-Deputy Commissioner, Sialkot, Ex-District Police Officer, Sialkot, Ex-Assistant Commissioner, Daska, Ex-DSP/SDPO, Sambrial, Sialkot and Ex-Deputy District Education Officer, Sialkot. At the same time disciplinary proceedings under Efficiency & Discipline Rules, 2020 and PEEDA, 2006 have also been initiated against sixty (60) officers/officials including above mentioned senior public office holders. The Election Commission has also directed that all the officers nominated under the inquiries shall not be assigned election duties in any future elections.
• After each bye-election detailed de-briefing sessions were held and on the basis of lessons learnt, efforts were made to improve the guidelines for Elections. For real-time result display and dissemination, ECP also directed to install multimedia screens in the office premises of the Returning Officers for the benefit of contesting candidates, election agents and media. Moreover, three tiered Control Rooms were established i.e. at constituency, Provincial (HQ) and ECP secretariat levels in order to enable contesting candidates and general public to lodge complaints, allow the officials of the Election Commission to monitor the ongoing election activities and take informed decisions.

REDESIGN AND TRANSLATION OF FORM-45

• Likewise, Form-45 has been redesigned to make it more comprehensive, to improve the quality of baseline electoral data and handle the result (tabulation) process in a fair and transparent manner. Form-45 was amended and extra space for signatures of polling agents was provided in it. Names of contesting candidates were
  pre-printed on Form-45, and separate color (Light green) were used for National Assembly and (white) for Provincial Assemblies. Amended Form-45 was piloted for the first time in bye-elections of NA-33 Hangu followed by other bye-elections in 24 constituencies of National Assembly & Provincial Assembly. Pre-printed Form-45 was appreciated by the Returning Officers and Presiding Officers.
• Moreover, after the debriefing session on 20 bye-elections of the Provincial Assembly, Punjab Form-45 and Form-46 have been translated in Urdu with pre-printed names of contesting candidates for its use in bye-elections. This move has also been highly appreciated by the Returning Officers and Presiding Officers who performed duties in these bye-elections as Urdu version of Form-45 added convenience to the Presiding Officers and Returning Officers. Standard Operating Procedures regarding Form-45 were devised with the objective to provide guidance to Presiding officers in performance of their duties.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS-2023

• Under Section 233 of the Elections Act, 2017 ECP after having consultative meeting with political parties on 9^th February, 2023 issued a code of Conduct for upcoming General Elections on 6^th April, 2023.

SENATE ELECTIONS AND BYE-ELECTIONS

• Elections on forty-eight (48) vacant seats of Senate were held on 3^rd March 2021. For this purpose, the ECP constituted Vigilance Committee to ensure transparency and issued Code of Conduct for the said Senate Polls. These initiatives were taken for the first time.
• Five (5) Senate bye-elections were held in the 2021-22.

STRATEGIC PLAN

• Mid-term review Strategic Plan 2019-2023.
• For 4^th Strategic Plan 2024-2028 a Committee has been constituted by the ECP.

ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

• Annual Report 2021-2022 has been approved by the ECP.

SURVEY OF POLLING STATIONS

• Locating new buildings in each electoral area for setting up of polling stations.
• Geo tagging of each building proposed as polling station.
• System review of basic facilities at each building.