The letter sought full compliance with the directive, the report stated, adding that its copies were also shared with the education departments….reports Asian Lite News
The Pakistan government has banned the leaves of all government employees ahead of the general elections, which are to be held on February 8 next year, ARY News reported.
The district returning officers issued a circular, stating that the government has also barred the employees from leaving the country during the winter vacation.
The letter sought full compliance with the directive, the report stated, adding that its copies were also shared with the education departments.
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Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) banned the registration and deletion of votes, ARY News reported.
The national election panel imposed a ban on the registration of new votes and the deletion, change and correction of votes in electoral rolls.
According to sources, the ECP also imposed a ban on the leaves of its officers, other employees and returning officers.
The poll panel also imposed a ban on transfers and postings of provincial and federal government employees.
Earlier, on Friday, the election commission issued the schedule for the February 8 general elections in compliance with the Supreme Court, according to ARY News.
The scheduling was officially notified after the Supreme Court ordered the ECP to announce the election schedule, suspending a Lahore High Court (LHC) order on the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from bureaucracy, which had cast a shadow over the holding of general elections.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja vowed to provide a level playing field to all political parties, ARY News reported.
“I had never said the elections would be delayed in the country. It is better to do the confirmation before the dissemination of the news,” CEC Raja said. (ANI)
ECP bans registration, deletion, change of votes
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has prohibited the registration of new voters, as well as the deletion, revision, and correction of votes on electoral rolls, ARY News reported on Sunday.
According to sources, the ECP has also prevented police and other personnel from taking leave, including returning officers.
Citing the sources, ARY News reported that the election commission’s regional offices will remain open today (Sunday) for the distribution of voter lists and other materials.
The ECP has also prohibited provincial and federal government personnel from being transferred or posted.
The election commission announced the election timetable for the February 8 general elections on Friday, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order, ARY News reported.
Notably, it was during a press conference, that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja promised to level the playing field for all political parties.
The announcement came hours after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the ECP to announce the election schedule while suspending a Lahore High Court (LHC) order on the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from bureaucracy, which had cast a cloud over the holding of general elections.
After the announcement of the election schedule, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has resumed the training of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) in Pakistan, The Express Tribune reported.
The ECP’s spokesperson said 850 ROs and 144 DROs are currently being trained by senior ECP officers. The training of the officers is expected to be completed by December 19.
A letter has been sent by DC Islamabad, in his capacity, as a DRO to the Federal Directorate of Education directing that leave should not be granted to employees, according to The Express Tribune report.
Authorities have been asked not to allow government employees to take leave, with maternity and medical leaves exempted from the order.
The staff responsible for supervising electoral activities have been asked to remain in the city where they have been posted until the elections set to take place on February 8, according to The Express Tribune report.
On December 13, the Lahore High Court (LHC) at the request of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), invalidated ECP’s notification regarding the appointment of the ROs and DROs for elections from the bureaucracy of Punjab, The Express Tribune reported.
The order issued by the Lahore High Court had paused the training of election staff in Pakistan. However, the Supreme Court suspended the LHC’s order and permitted the electoral body to continue the training of ROs, DROs and assistant returning officers (AROs).
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday night issued the election schedule for the general polls set to take place on February 8, 2024, Dawn reported. The polling process will begin on December 19, when the returning officer (RO) will issue a public notice.
The election programme also applies to the reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the national and four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Notably, the commission issued the election schedule late at night in line with the Supreme Court’s orders. (ANI)
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