ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday announced to publish the voters' lists on Sep 16, containing more than 112.3 million names, in line with the electoral body's preparations for local government elections in the provinces.
In this regard, citizens in every district can submit their related forms for their vote registration, transfer and correction (if any) in the offices of the registration officers and assistant registration officers, a statement from the ECP said.
The related forms for the vote registration, transfer and correction can be accessed from the ECP's official website, it added. In accordance with the Section 39 of Elections Act 2017, the registration, transfer and correction of votes is possible till the issuance of elections' schedule and is temporarily stopped till the elections are held.
This section reads, "In case of an election to fill a casual vacancy to an Assembly or a local government, no revision of or correction in an electoral roll of an electoral area or inclusion or transfer of a vote from the electoral roll of an electoral area to the electoral roll of another electoral area shall be made nor shall any order - be made in respect of any electoral roll at any time after the constituency of which such electoral area forms part has been called upon to elect its representative and before such representative has been elected."
The ECP said it would include some three million fresh voters in the lists (after the publication of the voter lists on Sep 16, in exercise of powers as per Section 25 (1) of Elections Act 2017.
"In such manner as may be prescribed, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) shall transmit relevant data of every fresh National Identity Card issued by it to the Commission for registration of the card-holder as a voter in the roll of the electoral area in which his permanent or temporary address is located, in accordance with the option indicated by him in the application for issuance of the National Identity Card," it reads.
The ECP, in the statement, said it has resumed work, which was disrupted in recent months due to spread of Covid-19, on updating the voters' lists ahead of the LG elections in the provinces and has issued necessary directions to Provincial Election Commissions (PECs) and NADRA.
On Aug 5, in a top-level meeting between the ECP and Punjab government officials, the ECP had asked the provincial government, in the light of Section 27 of Punjab Village, Punchayat and Neighbourhood Councils Act 2019, to suggest a date for holding the LG elections and whether the provincial government wanted the elections in one-day or in a phase-wise manner.
The provincial government had sought time and informed the Commission that it would share with ECP a 'comprehensive set of recommendations' on LG elections in Punjab in the next few days. The provincial government is yet to share its recommendations with the ECP, it is learnt.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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