Connect with us

pakistan

An yearly analysis of election campaigns’ expenditure

Published

on

An yearly analysis of election campaigns' expenditure

 The average inflation in the country is 33 percent however, the expenditure of candidate on the election campaign remains unchanged and is still according to the Election Act 2017.

According to the mentioned Act, National Assembly candidate can spend Rs4 million while those running for provincial assemblies can spend Rs2 million.

The expenditure for the election campaign has been changed six times since 1970.

According to the National and Provincial Assemblies Election Ordinance 1970, National Assembly candidate could spend Rs25,000 while provincial assembly candidate could spend Rs15,000.

Advertisement

In 1977, the amount for the election campaign was increased to Rs40,000 for the National Assembly and Rs25,000 for provincial assembly – the amount remained unchanged for the 1985 polls.

The amount increased significantly for the 1988 polls as candidate could spend Rs500,000 for the National Assembly and Rs300,000 for provincial assembly – remained same for the 1990 polls.

Candidates’ expenditure on election campaigns was doubled in the 1993 polls as candidate for National Assembly could spend Rs1 million and provincial assembly could spend Rs600,000.

The Election Commission Ordinance 2002 was introduced in that year election and National Assembly candidate could spend Rs1.5 million and provincial assembly candidate could Rs1 million.

The ECP did not change the amount for election campaign for the 2013 polls.

Advertisement

The Election Act 2017 introduced and there was massive increase in the amount of money that candidates could spend in campaigns – Rs4 million for the National and Rs2 million for provincial assembly.

It should be noted that despite skyrocketing inflation and the value of rupee depreciating regularly against the dollar, the amount that candidates could spend in 2023 polls remained unchanged.

The ECP should keep the ground realities in focus and should increase the amount for election campaigns so that rules of ECP are not violated.

Advertisement

pakistan

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder’s bail plea in May 9 case

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder’s bail plea in May 9 case

Published

on

By

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder's bail plea in May 9 case

The Islamabad district and sessions court has reserved verdict on the bail plea of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in the May 9 case.

Judicial Magistrate Omar Shabbir heard the case against the PTI leader registered in Shahzad Town police station.

Naeem Haider Panjhota, Sardar Masroof and Amina Ali appeared before the judge as counsel for the PTI leader.

The lawyers said the case against the PTI founder had not been pursued by an authorised officer. All cases against him had been instituted on the basis of politics and should, therefore, be quashed, they demanded.

Advertisement

The court after listening to the arguments reserved the verdict.

Continue Reading

pakistan

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

Published

on

By

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

 The Rawalpindi Sessions Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a case against former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hakim Khan issued a two-page written order on the petition.

In its order, the court observed that apart from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a departmental inquiry was also being conducted against the former commissioner.

If the allegations were proven in the ECP and departmental inquiries, a legal action was certain, the order stated, adding that in this situation, there was no justification for registering a separate case against the former Rawalpindi commissioner.

Advertisement

Two lawyers from Rawalpindi had filed the petition seeking the registration of a case against former commissioner.

In a Feb 18 presser, the former commissioner admitted that elections in his division were “rigged”.

The commissioner accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja of being complicit in the rigging and asserted that he, along with the CEC and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, deserved punishment, even the death penalty, for their injustice.

Chattha expressed remorse for forcing his subordinates to engage in wrongdoing and admitted that winning candidates were made to lose on 13 seats in the Rawalpindi division.

Later on Feb 23, Chattha retracted his earlier statement in a written statement submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Advertisement

In the statement, Chattha confessed to having supported the narrative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about rigging in the general elections and maligning state institutions in exchange for a lucrative position in the future.

He stated he had been made this offer by a Lahore-based PTI leader with whom he had developed a close friendship.

Chattha alleged that “this entire planning had been formulated after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of PTI”.

He stated that this proposal was made by the said [PTI] individual in consideration of the fact that he was about to retire from service after having remained a part of the services for 32 years and enjoyed all the perks and privileges.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

pakistan

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Published

on

By

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought the record from Zartaj Gul’s counsel on a petition seeking the name removal of PTI leader and MNA Zartaj Gul from the Exit Control List (ECL).

IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the case on Zartaj Gul’s name removal from ECL.

During the hearing, the state counsel stated that Zartaj Gul’s name has been included in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

Upon inquiry from the court, the state counsel informed that Zartaj Gul’s name was included in PNIL on the order of Islamabad and Punjab police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was responsible for including the name in PNIL.

Advertisement

Also read: PTI’s Shibli Faraz, Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul secure bail in May 9 cases

State counsel added that five cases were registered against Zartaj Gul in Islamabad and Punjab.

The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Usama, disclosed that Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in those cases. He reiterated that the name was being included in the PNIL list despite being on bail.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired about how many cases Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in and ordered the petitioner to appear before the court in the next hearing.

Consequently, IHC has adjourned the case hearing until next week by directing Zartaj Gul’s counsel to appear before the court in the next hearing with records. 

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © GLOBAL TIMES PAKISTAN