LAHORE: The district security committee for conduct of local body polls 2015 has suggested the provincial election commission authorities certain measures by the police and district administration for maintaining peace on the polling day in view of the highly charged political atmosphere and the law and order situation.

Local polls in Lahore are scheduled to be held on Saturday (Oct 31).

In a letter to the provincial election commissioner, Regional Election Commissioner Tahir Mansoor Khan, who is also district returning officer for Lahore, said the district administration and police requested (during a meeting of the security committee) that certain steps are necessary to avert any unpleasant situation keeping in view the `highly charged political and law and order situation`.

These measures, said the communiqué, included ban on entry of parliamentarians in any polling station, disallowing establishment of election camps of rival parties on opposite sides.

Rather the camps should be set up at a distance prescribed by the election commission, it said.

It also suggested a complete ban on the use of mobile phones at the polling stations like in the by-election for NA-122 and a blanket restriction on display of arms.

The display of arms has already been banned under section-144 by the Punjab government.

Mr Khan said the apprehensions showed by the district coordination officer (DCO) and DIG (operations) in the meeting seemed to be quite genuine and requested for further necessary action. Staff Reporter