Islamabad March 2 (TNS): After journalists staged a protest in the National Assembly on the Thursday over the ban on covering Senate elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday directed the authorities to allow media persons to cover the election process from the press gallery.
Senate elections are scheduled to be held on March 3 in the Parliament House and four provincial assemblies and 52 seats are up for grab.
Earlier, the ECP in its election code announced to bar journalists from covering the Senate elections which attracted a strong response from journalists covering Parliament and provincial assemblies.
In its election code of conduct, the ECP has empowered the returning officers to cancel votes in case the members breach the confidentiality of their ballot; tampered with the ballot paper; attempted to go outside the polling station or cast fake vote; attempted to show ballot to anyone or any act which may affect the process for holding transparent elections. Members have also been directed not carry mobile phones and bags with them while entering the Parliament House and provincial assemblies.
After National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq read out the ECP code of conduct in the National Assembly, the journalists covering the proceeding staged a token protest, demanding to allow them to cover Senate elections. Later, Sadiq contacted ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob about the issue and Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Muhammad Raza announced to lift the ban on the media coverage of the Senate elections.
