ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday empowered the District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) to exercise the powers, vested in the office of a first-class magistrate, to ensure “smooth, transparent and peaceful” conduct of general elections on Feb 8, 2024.
According to the ECP notification issued on Friday, the District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) have been delegated the authority of a first-class magistrate under Section 193 of the Election Act 2017.
The law says: “ROs and DROs” can exercise the powers during the general elections to the National and Provincial assemblies – in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan until the official announcement of final results.
Under the delegated power, the ROs and DROs can initiate action against candidates, breaching the code of conduct evolved by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The election officers will exercise the “Magisterial authority against offences defined in Sections 169 and 171 and take cognizance of any such offence under Section 190 of the code of criminal procedure and shall try it summarily under Chapter XX of the code.”
Yesterday, the caretaker Federal government notified the deployment of Pakistan Army’s personnel to maintain peace and tranquility at sensitive polling stations across the country during general election 2024.
The notification read: “Under Article 245 of the Constitution, the army will be deployed across the country.”
It further stated that the military personnel – deployed outside sensitive polling stations from Feb 05 till Feb 10 – will serve as a quick response force.
The notification mentioned that the deployment of Army personnel will play a major role in the transparent and peaceful polling process.
The notification further added that the Civil Armed Forces will also be stationed at the Printing Corporation of Pakistan and the Pakistan Post Foundation during the printing and distribution of ballot papers for the elections.
