ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formulated the polling scheme for the upcoming general elections, outlining plans to establish a total of 91,809 polling stations across 859 constituencies of national and provincial assemblies.
Among these, 32,000 have been categorized as sensitive, while 17,000 are designated as highly sensitive.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Senator Taj Haider, the ECP Secretary, Omar Hamid Khan, provided insights into the preparations. He shared that approximately 1 million polling staff members will be required to ensure the smooth conduct of the general elections.
The ECP has developed electronic devices with custom software to securely transmit Form-45 snapshots to Returning Officers, tracking the time and location of these snapshots to ensure the legitimacy of the election process.
Preliminary results are scheduled to be published on September 27, with a two-month timeline set for addressing and resolving any representations.
The committee emphasized the ECP’s constitutional obligation to conduct general elections within 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly and urged prompt scheduling to eliminate uncertainties regarding the election timing.
Regarding the gender gap among voters, the ECP highlighted efforts to reduce it, particularly in Balochistan. The allocation of funds for development projects was also discussed, with a focus on ensuring a level playing field for all participants in the upcoming elections.
The committee expressed concerns about delays in scheduling the elections, particularly regarding the completion of constituency boundaries, and Chairman Senator Taj Haider expressed his intention to convey the committee’s message to the ECP through a written letter.
