News
Monday, May 13, 2013
No one can tamper with election results: ECP* Commission says delay in results was due to non-provision of results by polling officers to returning officers
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Sunday said that no one can tamper with the election results and the delay in results of some national and provincial assemblies was due to non-provision of results by polling officers (POs) to returning officers (ROs).
ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan reaffirmed that no one can change the result of any candidate. He said the results announced by a polling officer were sealed and sent to the ROs for consolidations. Once the consolidation figures were complete, the results were sent to the ECP for announcement. Addressing a press conference, the ECP secretary said all the polling officers will provide sealed results to their ROs by tomorrow (Monday) and they (ROs) will prepare consolidated results of all polling stations. The final result will be sent to the ECP for official announcement.
Ahmed said first phase of election had passed peacefully, which was a victory of the entire nation. He said up till now results from 44 constituencies of the National Assembly and 122 provincial assemblies had been received by the electoral body, while ROs are busy preparing results in the rest of constituencies. He said that counting of ballots was being carried out as per law. Now only the consolidation process at ROs level is left.
The ECP secretary said the delay in announcement of official results is due to incomplete legal process, which will be completed soon. The POs results were sealed in plastic bags, and later opened by ROs and a candidate may object if the plastic bag was tampered with, he said. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk