ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued a final code of conduct for candidates taking part in the forthcoming general elections to be held on May 11th, 2013.
An ECP notification said that polling for National and Provincial Assemblies will be held on the same day and the process for filing of nomination papers for election of National and Provincial Assemblies has begun from March 25th and will end on March 30th while scrutiny would begin the next day. There will be seven days for the process of scrutiny‚ which would continue till April 6th. It said last date for withdrawal of candidature will be April 18th and revised list of candidates would be published on the April 19th.
According to the notification regarding final code of conduct, each contesting candidate is ordered to open an account with a scheduled bank before the 4th of next month and deposit the amount not exceeding to Rs 1.5 million for National Assembly constituency and Rs one million for Provincial Assembly constituency to meet the election expenses. The notification said, "no political party or a contesting candidate or an election agent or their supporters shall use any vehicle to transport to or from the polling station any voter except himself and members of his immediate family". It said two-member teams‚ with a video camera‚ should monitor the election process including campaign expenditure and observance of code of conduct by contesting candidates and the political parties.