ECP to discuss electronic voting in Lahore by-poll

A high-level meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to weigh and review the use of electronic voting machines (EVMS) during Lahore’s by-elections along with a host of other matters, sources said on Monday.

The commission will meet today with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in the chair and will be attended by the secretary election commission and other senior officials.

Besides, the commission will also review the preparations for the first phase of local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and issues related to irregularities in voter lists and rectify them, sources added.

The high-level meeting of the election supervisor will discuss the Daska inquiry report, for which the ECP had appointed Punjab Joint Election Commissioner Saeed Gul as inquiry officer to probe the alleged kidnapping of the election staff during the NA-75 by-polls.

Schedule for local body polls in K-P announced

The ECP on Monday also announced a schedule for local governments’ polls in Khyber Pakthunkhwa to be held in two phases.

The first phase of local body elections in the province will be held on December 19, while the second phase would be conducted across 18 districts on January 16.

According to the results, nomination papers could be submitted from November 4 to November 8 and the returning officer will scrutinise the nomination papers from November 10 to 12.

“The appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed till November 16,” the commission said, adding that the tribunals will decide on appeals by November 19.