ECP orders 180m ballot papers
ISLAMABAD - The election commission has ordered printing 180 million copies of ballot papers for the next months’ general elections.ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan on Saturday gave a go-ahead for the printing that is to start on coming Saturday (April 20), a day after the commission displays the final list of polls’ contestants, and complete by April 22.Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had approved the ballot papers specimen that entails sophisticated security features to counter fake or bogus voting. Some of the techniques used include introduction of magnetic ink, watermark paper, thumb impression and other biometric features.In a linked development, the military on Saturday said that it would provide ‘foolproof’ security during the ballot papers printing, transportation and distribution, on the ECP direction. In the evening, troops were deployed at the offices of Printing Corporation of Pakistan and the Security Printing Press, two printing houses that are to carry out the printing exercise.The decision was taken to avoid misuse of the ballot papers and any untoward incident during their distribution to the ECP offices across the country. An army officer said that Rawalpindi Corps personnel would man the offices of the two printing houses during the ballot papers printing from April 19-22 and their subsequent transportation and distribution would also be carried out under the army-provided security.Of the 180 million ballot papers to be printed for the national and provincial assemblies’ voters, 120 million are to be printed by the Printing Corporation of Pakistan and 60 million by the Security Printing Press. Reportedly, the offices of both the enterprises would remain open on weekly holidays (April 20 and 21) for the printing purposes. The ballot papers for the national assembly would be of green colour while those of provincial assemblies would have white colour.The ECP is to send the printed ballot papers to the provincial election commissions in Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and Karachi from where they would be transported to the district election offices and subsequently to the polling stations, ahead of the polling day (May 11).Recently, the ECP had decided to include a column titled “None of the above” for those voters who were not to vote for any electoral candidate and wanted to stay ‘neutral’ in the general polls. Approval from the president of Pakistan was to be required for this purpose through a presidential ordinance. Election in any electoral constituency was to get nullified thus prompting a re-election if more than 50 percent voters were not to vote for any candidate. However, against the backdrop of the controversies related to this column inclusion and adverse reaction from the media and civil society, the ECP decided not to go ahead with the new column inclusion in the ballot papers.APP adds: The Election Commission has fixed Monday (April 15) as the last date for the receipt of applications for postal ballot for the upcoming elections of National and Provincial Assemblies.The facility has been extended only to government servants, members of armed forces, holders of public offices, their wives and children stationed at a place other than the place in which their home constituency is situated.Persons detained in prison or held in other custody are also entitled to vote by postal ballot.Presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and the police personnel have been assigned duties at the polling stations are eligible to apply for postal ballot by April 25.The applications for postal ballot should be submitted on the prescribed form with the Returning Officer of the constituency in which such persons are enrolled as voters.Application forms for postal ballot can be obtained from any Returning Officer. The voters to whom postal ballots are issued will not be entitled to vote in person at the polling stations.The application form is also available at the ECP’s website www.ecp.gov.pk as well as in the offices of District Election Commissioners and Returning Officers.
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