ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday has revised the release date of voter lists from Sep 16 to Oct 4, in order to have three million fresh voters included in the lists prior to publis the electoral rolls based on more than 115 million voters ahead of local government elections in the provinces.

The decision was taken in a meeting between the senior officials of ECP and NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) presided over by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

Earlier on Aug 13, the ECP had announced to publish on Sep 16 the voter lists containing more than 112.3 million names, in line with the electoral body's preparations for LG elections. With the inclusion of three million fresh voters, the numbers of registered voters would become 115.3 million.

The meeting reviewed the preparation of voter lists in the light of the relevant provisions of Punjab Village, Punchayat and Neighbourhood Councils Act, 2019, and Punjab Village, Punchayat and Neighbourhood Councils Rules, 2020, read an ECP statement issued after the meeting.

NADRA has the data of some three million citizens who are eligible to vote and these three million names would be included in the voter list to ensure that the eligible citizens are not deprived of their right to vote, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the ECP has also revised the date for publication of preliminary list of delimited constituencies for inviting representations and objections from August 21 to September 18, the Commission announced.

The decision has been taken in the backdrop of inclusion of certain rural areas into urban areas by the Punjab government, the ECP said.

On June 25 this year, the ECP issued schedule for delimitation of constituencies in the village and neighbourhood councils of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and establishment of district committees for this purpose, in connection with LG elections preparations.

According to the schedule, completion of all the administrative arrangements including procurement of maps and relevant data was to be done from July 6 - 25. Preparation for preliminary list of constituencies by the delimitation committees was from July 27 to Aug 20. Publication of preliminary list of constituencies for inviting representations and objections: Aug 21. Filing of representations and objections before the delimitation authorities by the voters concerned: Aug 22 to Sep 6. Disposal of representation and objections by the delimitation authorities: till October 5. Last date for communication of decision of delimitation authorities to the delimitation committees: Oct 12, and final publication of list of constituencies by the delimitation committees: Oct 13.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020