Islamabad, 13 January, 2024: In-charge Central Election Monitoring Cell of Pakistan Peoples Party, Taj Haider in a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner.
Following is the full text of the letter:-
“Sub: Denial of PPPP symbols to PPPP Ticket holders.
We have the honour to bring to your notice the prevailing trend in Punjab of denial of our Party election symbol (Arrow) to our Ticket holders and placing them in the category of independent candidates. Our serious concerns over such denials may kindly be noted.
According to Section 66 of the Election Act 2017, ’a declaration before the Returning Officer about his affiliation with a particular political party, if any, along with a certificate from the political party showing that he is that party’s candidate from that constituency’ is the only and the final requirement for ‘seeking allotment of a prescribed symbol’. There is no ambiguity in this Section of the Election Act 2017 and it should be followed in letter and spirit.
You would agree Sir, that the whole system of our constitutional democracy is built around the basic structure of political parties. Accepted that citizens have the option of contesting elections as independent candidates but, we have repeatedly experienced that the presence of independents in an elected house does open an unfortunate window for horse trading and exerting pressures on the elected independents.
Independent Candidates are often elected by taking advantage of ‘parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices’ fault lines among our citizens. Under Article 33 of our Constitution it is the duty of the State to discourage such and similar such prejudices. Instead citizens should be encouraged to vote on the performance, policies and manifestos of political parties. Pushing valid candidates who are affiliated to a party and also submit required documents before Returning Officers at the time of seeking a prescribed symbol, outside the fold of that party and into the category of independents runs contrary to the provisions of Article 33 of our Constitution and the necessary and sufficient requirements of Section 66 of the Election Act 2017.
We request issuance of your general instructions to all ROs and DROs to allot prescribed symbols under Section 66 of the Election Act 2017, to all candidates who have at the time of seeking a prescribed symbol submitted a certificate from their party regarding their affiliation to that Party.”