The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of an alleged violation of the election code of conduct by Federal Minister Ataullah Tarar during the by-election in Gujranwala's NA-77 constituency.

According to a statement issued by an ECP spokesperson on X, the commission has sought reports from the District Monitoring Officer and the District Returning Officer to investigate the matter. The federal minister has been directed to appear before the commission in his personal capacity.

According to media reports, the minister visited the constituency by helicopter and attended a gathering. The ECP spokesperson said the constituency's result may be withheld until a final decision is reached on the alleged violation.

Security in place for polling day

The by-election in NA-77 Gujranwala and PP-203 Sahiwal is scheduled for Sunday, 8 November. The federal government has approved the deployment of the army and Rangers for the two by-elections to ensure peaceful polling, with the deployment in place from 7 to 9 November 2026.

The army has been deployed under Article 220 of the Constitution, while the Rangers have been deployed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The ECP had requested the deployment, with the Rangers assigned to second-tier security duties and the army in third-tier quick reaction force mode.

Why the notice matters

Ministers are barred from campaigning in a constituency once an election schedule is announced. The ECP's decision to seek reports from its own officers, rather than acting on media reports alone, shows the complaint will be examined on the record before any finding is made. The possibility that the result could be withheld underlines how seriously the commission treats an alleged breach on the eve of polling.

[Source: Pakistan Point](https://www.pakistanpoint.com/en/story/2285807/na-77-gujranwala-by-election-ecp-notices-alleged-code.html) | [Source: Geo News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09GdpG7H6-U)