K-P’s DROs take oath

Receive day-long training on election processes

PESHAWAR: The provincial chapter of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday administered the oath to district returning officers who shall be responsible for conducting polls in the province and the tribal areas in the upcoming general elections.

An oath-taking ceremony was held by the ECP – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter at a local hotel in Peshawar on Tuesday where district and session judges, to be deployed in 25 districts of K-P, were given a day-long training along with the seven political agents of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

ECP member from K-P Justice (Retd) Irshad Qaiser shed light on the importance of DROs and the role they have to play in conducting free and fair elections.

“The coming general elections are very crucial for the political future and stability of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the role of DROs is equally important for holding elections.

Justice (Retd) Qaiser commended the Elections Act 2017 and called it a revolutionary step towards electoral reforms.

“The law has further strengthened the election commission [Pakistan] by giving it more independence,” he said, adding that the returning officers and district returning officers are appointed from the judiciary as per the election act 2017.

“It shows that the people trust the judiciary and hope that it will pave the way for a free and fair election in the country,” Justice Qaiser said, adding that the polling staff will take an oath before starting their election duties.

DROs will oversee the process of setting up polling stations, the deputation of polling staff and ensure peace in the district during the elections.

Provincial Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Hussain administered the oath to DROs.

He later told the media that the provincial ECP office has received all the material it would require during the elections and vowed to conduct free and fair elections in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2018.