I-votes can prove decisive on six seats: ECP

Of 7,364 registered overseas Pakistanis voters, 6,233 exercised their right to vote

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to make the votes polled by overseas Pakistanis part of the final results of the October 14 by-elections, noting that I-votes can be a game changer in at least six constituencies.

The decision came after ECP representatives held a meeting with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) officials on Monday.

ECP spokesperson Nadeem Qasim told the media that the details of all I-votes had been sent to the relevant returning officers (ROs). "The ROs will add these results to their final tallies," he added.

Of the 7,364 registered overseas Pakistanis voters, 6,233 exercised their right to vote through I-voting software in the Sunday's by-polls.

The ECP had allowed overseas Pakistanis to vote in the by-polls on an experimental basis on the directives of the Supreme Court.

The ECP has not issued an official word about the turnout in the by-elections on 11 National Assembly seats and 24 provincial assembly seats, an official said it was between 35 and 40 per cent.

Meanwhile, the ECP sought details of election expenditure from the winning candidates within seven days. ROs are required to obtain necessary details from the winning candidates and submit the same to the ECP.

The ECP has announced that victory notifications of the candidates failing to submit expense details would be withheld.

According to ECP, the overseas Pakistanis’ participation in the election exercise is a momentous development in the country’s history. The poll body believes that votes from overseas Pakistanis can be a game changer in at least six constituencies.