PML-N preparing to rig LG polls: Q

13th Dec, 2013, Lahore
Alleging the ruling party of having prepared a plan to rig local government elections, top Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday demanded the election commission to take a notice of the matter.
Addressing a news conference at Muslim League House here, Pervaiz Elahi said foul play by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in local polls would bring a bad name to the election commission.
He was of the view that the commission would become a victim of vote-rigging if it failed to take a timely action, and said local elections under supervision of district administrations would not be acceptable to any party except the ruling party. 
The PML-Q Punjab president also questioned how transparent local elections could be held under supervision of DCOs, patwaris and tehsildars when DCOs would be acting as returning officers and their subordinates as presiding and assistant presiding officers. Election results would bring a huge hue and cry after from all the political parties, he said while adding presiding officers who would not influence voters to vote for the ruling party would get punishment.
He said during his stint in power, heads of local bodies used to write ACRs of DCOs and DPOs but according to the new law tehsildars would be writing ACRs of chairmen and vice-chairmen of local bodies.
He added the PML-Q government had provided ideal administrative and financial powers and funds through the provincial finance commission to local governments.
He said local bodies’ system enforced by the incumbent provincial government was against the basic spirit of local governance.
To a query regarding electoral arrangements, he said the PML-Q would make seat adjustments with all likeminded parties.
Prominent among those present at the news conference were Muhammad Basharat Raja, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan, Nasir Ramzan Gujjar, Sardar Asif Nakai, Nasir Mahmud Gill and Seemal Kamran.