‘EMS’ to help ROs gather poll results
PHOTO: EXPRESS
The electoral watchdog on Tuesday was informed by its information technology team that the Election Management System (EMS) would facilitate returning officers (ROs) in gathering results of the general polls to be held later this year.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) held a huddle, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, at its secretariat in Islamabad to review the arrangements for the general polls 2023.
The meeting's participants, who included the commission’s members and special and additional secretaries, were briefed on the information technology projects undertaken by ECP’s experts for the upcoming general elections.
They were informed that the EMS would allow the results of the polls to be screened live at the offices of the ROs, provincial ECPs, Election Commission's Secretariat as well as to the media and contesting candidates.
The participants of the meeting were also given a briefing on the progress of the setting up of the Election Management Control Centre. The aim of establishing the centre is monitoring the stages before polling, the day of voting and the process after that.
The ECP was also informed about the setting up of the Scrutiny Facilitation Centre for the ROs.
This project has been set up in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), National Database and Registration Authority, and Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).
Through this online system, the data and other relevant information about the candidates was verified.
Using this project, a candidate’s information about dual nationality, bank defaulting as well as FBR and NAB cases could be provided to the ROs instantly.
This information assists the ROs in the process of scrutiny so that they could decide on the nomination papers on time.
Through this system, the data of 8,595 candidates was verified through the institutions and provided to the ROs.
The participants of the huddle were also informed about the monitoring system that would be used during the general elections.
They were further told that a control room would be set up for timely monitoring of electoral process.
The district administrations, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of the ROs would be present in the control room.
For the first time, the ECP would share UAN and WhatsApp numbers with the public for instant access to information and lodging of complaints.
The people and candidates will be able to send their complaints in the form of messages along with videos and pictures to the commission.
The ECP would ensure immediate action on these complaints.