ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday called upon political parties to fulfil the requirements of Political Parties Order 2002 to maintain or get new symbols for the upcoming general elections.
The Election Commission has drawn the attention of the political parties to article 14 of the Political Parties Order 2002 that explains requirements for getting new symbols and maintaining the one already allotted to a party.
"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a political party shall be eligible to obtain an election symbol for contesting elections for Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) and Provincial Assemblies on submission of certificates and statement referred to in articles 12 and 13," states this article that relates to eligibility of a party to obtain election symbol.
Article 12 and 13 of the Political parties Order 2002 relate to submission of details of intra-party elections as well as details of assets of liabilities of the parties, respectively.
The Commission further stated, "provided that a combination of political parties shall be entitled to obtain a common election symbol for such election only if, each party constituting such combination, submits the certificates and statement referred to in Articles 12 and 13."
These legal provisions explain, "where any political party or a combination of political parties, severally or collectively, contravenes the provisions of Articles 12 or 13, it shall not be entitled to obtain an election symbol for election to the Majlis-e- Shoora (Parliament) or the Provincial Assemblies, and the Election Commission shall not allocate an election symbol to such party or, as the case may be, the combination of political parties for such election."
The Commission has clarified that political parties which fail to submit their annual statement of accounts in terms of Article 13 of the said Order or fail to submit the certificate with regard to intra-party election in terms of Article 12 of the said order shall not be entitled to obtain election symbols.
Attention of political parties has further been invited to para 5 of the Allocation of Symbols Order, 2002 which provides that subject to fulfilment of the provisions of Political Parties Order, 2002 and the rules framed there under, a political party shall make an application to the Election Commission for allocation of a symbol of its choice within the period specified by the Commission.
In view of legal position explained, fresh applications will be invited from the political parties at the time of next general elections for allotment of election symbols and symbols will be allotted to only those parties, who fulfil the requirement of articles 12 and 13.
Therefore, the Commission has reminded that all political parties which have not submitted their Statements of Accounts as well as Certificate regarding their intra-party elections have been advised to submit the same to become entitled to get election symbols at the time of forthcoming General Elections.
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