Election Officials
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a ban on the posting and transfer of district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs), and assistant returning officers (AROs) appointed for the upcoming general polls.
This directive, conveyed through a letter to the secretary establishment, chief secretaries of the four provinces, and chief commissioner Islamabad, extends throughout the election period, also disallowing these officers from taking leave. The ban is also applicable to data entry operators (DEOs) involved in the election process.
The ECP emphasizes strict compliance with this directive, with copies of the letter dispatched to provincial election commissioners. The decision to impose this ban stems from the necessity of appointing officers from the district administration as DROs and ROs due to the judiciary’s refusal to spare judges from lower courts for these roles, as per an anonymous senior ECP official.
The official acknowledged the potential influence on bureaucrats in power, highlighting the importance of adhering to election laws that prescribe the roles of DROs, ROs, and AROs. These officers play crucial roles in coordinating and supervising election-related activities at the district level, ensuring the effective conduct of polls.
Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court suspended the ECP’s decision to appoint election staff, including ROs, from the executive, responding to a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The court observed concerns about a lack of a level playing field and potential challenges to fair and free elections. The judge referred the matter to the chief justice for a larger bench’s consideration.
In a related development, the court also reserved a verdict on a petition challenging the new delimitation of a Punjab Assembly constituency in Mandi Bahauddin, underscoring the legal intricacies surrounding the upcoming elections. Overall, ECP Enforces Ban on Posting and Transfer of Election Officials for Upcoming General Polls in Pakistan.
