EC invites parties for election symbols
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday invited the political parties to submit applications for allotment of election symbols for the forthcoming general elections.
The political parties as defined in clause (d) of Article 2 of the Political Parties Order, 2002 and who have held intra-party elections in accordance with the provisions of the said Order and the Rules framed thereunder, are invited to file applications for allocation of one of the symbols prescribed under Rule 9 of the Representation of the People (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 1977.
These applications are required to be duly signed by the Party Leader, should reach the Secretary Election Commission on or before November 28. The political parties have been advised to file applications for allocation of symbols according to requirements Article 5 of the Allocation of Symbols Order,2002. The applications should contain; the list of symbols applied for in order of preference and symbol or symbols if any allocated to the political party during the previous general elections. Every such application shall be signed by the party Leader, by whatever name designated with address of the head office of the political party, the name of its President, Secretary-General and other office-bearers of the central Executive Committee.
The numerical strength of its members should be mentioned in the application with a copy of Election Manifesto/copy of the Constitution of the Political Party. It has also been declared mandatory to state whether the party was represented by a member or members in the National Assembly or a Provincial Assembly in the Past and if so, the name and other particulars of such member are needed to be reported.
The applicants must also have to state whether the political party had conducted the intra-party elections as required under Article 12 of the Political Parties Order, 2002. The Election Commission said that incomplete applications or requests through fax will not be entertained.
The applications received hithertofore will also not be entertained. Thus, all such parties, who have sent applications already i,e prior to November 19, 2007, are requested to submit fresh applications. It may also be clarified here that applications received after the due date, i.e. November 28 will not be entertained. The applications received for allocation of symbols are likely to be placed before the Election Commission on December 3, for consideration.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Qazi Muhammad Farooq said the schedule of election would formally be announced on Tuesday with polls for both national and provincial assemblies to be held on the same day, i.e. January 8, 2008. He said this after a meeting held in connection with preparing the Code of Conduct. The CEC said notices had been served on PML’s President and Secretary General for allegedly publishing a poster against PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto.