PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday issued the code of conduct for law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) deployed for the election security besides giving magisterial powers to the presiding officers.

       The code of conduct said that the LEAs personnel would perform their duties in accordance with the law and within the confines of mandate as assigned to them to assist the ECP in conduct of free, fair and transparent elections by deploying outside all polling stations.

       The ECP said that these personnel would cooperate with the relevant returning officer, presiding officers and other polling staff.

       The LEAs personnel will assist the presiding officer in smooth and effective discharge of his lawful duties as it is the responsibility of the presiding officer to keep order at the respective polling station and ‘may or cause to remove any person found guilty of misconduct at the polling station or failing to obey any lawful orders of the presiding officer’.

       The ECP said that these personnel would remain impartial and neutral throughout the election process in general and during the voting process in particular and shall not act in favour of or against any political party or candidate in any manner.

       The personnel have also been directed to observe politeness and display immaculate behaviour while dealing with the voters and polling staff.

       In addition, they will also check voters before entering polling station for weapons and explosives.

       They will also report any irregularity to the presiding officer immediately.

       The code of conduct also asked the security personnel to not to ask the voters to produce their chits or prove their identity as it was the duty of the polling staff.

       The ECP also granted magisterial powers to the presiding officers of all polling stations and the Frontier Constabulary personnel deployed outside the polling stations.

       The notification said the officers acting as presiding officers of the polling stations shall exercise the powers of the magistrate first class in respect of impersonation or capturing of polling stations or polling booth under section 193(a)(b) of the Elections Act, 2017, and other relevant laws. It said all such offences shall be tried summarily under the chapter XX of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898.

       Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021