The Election Commission of Pakistan announced on Wednesday that new and old national identity cards are valid for voting in the third phase of Local Government election while newly issued ID cards by the concerned Assistant Election Commissioner is not mandatory/compulsory at the time of casting votes.
Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Secretary Election Commission said that Rule 30(1) of the Local Government Rules of the Provinces, which provides that where a voter presents himself at the polling station to vote, he shall show his national identity card to the presiding officer, who shall, after satisfying himself about the identity of the voter, issue him ballot papers.
The Chief Election Commissioner allowed the voters to cast their votes on production of either computerised NIC or old NIC and has directed that presiding officers shall entertain only original national identity cards whether new or old and no photocopy of the identity cards shall be accepted at the time of casting of vote by the voters.
The Chief Election Commissioner has further directed that possession of identity card issued by the concerned Assistant Election Commissioner is not mandatory/compulsory at the time of casting votes for elections to the seats of Zila Nazims as well as Tehsil/Town Nazims and the reserved seats for women, peasants/ workers and minority communities in zila councils and tehsil/town councils.