The Election Commission has appointed Additional Deputy Commissioner Uzair Ali Khan as District Monitoring Officer to oversee electoral activities and ensure compliance with the code of conduct.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has appointed 17 officers, including a District Monitoring Officer (DMO), to monitor compliance with the code of conduct during the December 20 local government elections in Islamabad.
According to a notification issued on Wednesday, Additional Deputy Commissioner Uzair Ali Khan has been appointed as the District Monitoring Officer, while 16 other officers have been assigned monitoring responsibilities across different groups of union councils in the federal capital.
The monitoring officers will supervise election-related activities in their respective areas, identify violations of the electoral code of conduct and report any breaches to the DMO.
The ECP has also issued terms of reference (ToRs) for the DMO and monitoring officers. Under these guidelines, all designated officers must take an oath under Section 56 of the Elections Act before assuming their responsibilities.
The monitoring teams will obtain information from the district administration about public meetings, political rallies and other electoral activities. The district administration and relevant authorities will be required to provide the necessary information and assistance to facilitate the monitoring process.
Any violation of the code of conduct will be reported to the DMO through Form M-1, accompanied by supporting evidence. The procedure is intended to ensure that reported violations are properly documented and brought to the attention of the designated monitoring authority.
Under the ECP’s guidelines, the local administration will appoint a Grade 17 or above officer as a focal person to coordinate with the monitoring teams. Police authorities will also be responsible for providing security to officers performing monitoring duties.
The District Monitoring Officer will maintain a record of complaints received through Form M-2 and submit daily monitoring reports to the Election Commission. The monitoring mechanism will cover pre-election activities, polling-day proceedings and post-election developments to ensure compliance with electoral regulations throughout the process.
The DMO will also have the authority to issue directions to relevant authorities in connection with election monitoring responsibilities.
The appointments and monitoring arrangements come ahead of the Islamabad local government elections scheduled for December 20. The ECP’s monitoring framework is aimed at overseeing political and electoral activities and addressing violations of the prescribed code of conduct during the election period.
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