News
Monday, May 06, 2013
Printing of ballot papers to complete tomorrow: ECPISLAMABAD: The printing of 180 million ballot papers will be completed tomorrow (Tuesday), the Election Commission of Pakistan said on Sunday.
Talking to media, ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan said a total of 150 million ballot papers have already been printed. The printing and dispatch of ballot papers related to Balochistan and Sindh has already been completed, whereas printing of ballot papers for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, except Peshawar and Mardan divisions, has been completed. Out of nine divisions, printing of ballot papers of five divisions of Punjab has been completed. The remaining printing will be completed by tomorrow.
Khan said the preparations for elections have entered a decisive phase and added that a total of 69,875 polling stations have been established across the country to facilitate voters. He said the e-ticket service would be inaugurated on Monday (today). Under this service, the voters can know about their polling station and voting serial number just by sending their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) number to 8300. Political parties can also distribute traditional paper chits bearing serial number of a voter in voters’ list 48 hours before the elections day.
However, the distribution of paper chits is prohibited on the polling day. The ECP secretary said there is a possibility that mobile phone service may be suspended on May 11 due to security threat, therefore the voters should get voter information in advance. Khan said as many as 313 complaints have been received regarding change of polling stations and the district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) have been directed to rectify the complaints of the people as well as candidates. The complaints have also been placed at the website of election commission.
Regarding the provision of transport facility to voters, he said it is not possible for the election commission to provide transport facility to over 80.61 million voters. He said the issue of granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis will be considered in the commission’s meeting scheduled on Monday (today). He said security is being provided to ECP staff in all the provinces. When asked about the confiscation of fake ballot papers in Chakdara area of Lower Dir, he said ECP has sought information from the police and any decision in this regard will be made after ascertaining all the facts.
Meanwhile, an ECP official said the commission will set up special election cell this week for prompt announcement of unofficial election results. “We will set up a special election cell at the Election Commission of Pakistan for announcing unofficial results immediately after receiving them from the returning officers,” the official said. He said the presiding officers would announce election results of their respective constituency in the presence of polling agents. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk