Police must be penalized for obstructing election if proven, says PIC

Chief independent oversight body of the police, the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has stated that the police must not obstruct an election and that the commission will seek criminal charges and administrative action, if any party within the police is proven of having obstructed the Saturday election.

The statements follow accusations by the Elections Commission (EC) that the police had stopped Saturday’s presidential election by refusing to provide transport of ballot papers and election official and by obstructing election material from being taken out of the EC headquarters.

President of PIC Abdulla Waheed told Sun on Saturday that the commission has not made any conclusions of wrongdoing and that it will be decided after an investigation.

He said that the commission will seek administrative action through the Home Ministry, if the police had violated the law, and also seek prosecution of any individual police officer who is proven to have violated the law in obstructing the election.

“We have to look into the legality of matter, if we seek to take action. We might have to take up criminal charges, or request the Home Ministry to take action,” Waheed said.

He said that PIC has received a formal request from the EC accusing the police of having obstructed the election, and asking that the matter to be investigated. The commission will produce any persons involved and ask for statements if necessary, Waheed said.

Hours after the cancellation of the election was announced on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Abdulla Navaz said in a press conference that the police had refused to cooperate because, by going ahead with the elections without securing endorsements of the voters’ lists from the candidates, the EC was violating the 16-point guideline required by the Supreme Court. However, he did not admit the police of having actively obstructed the election.