Expired ID cards accepted for voting
By midmorning, polling was suspended in at least 120 centers because of attacks, burning of ballots and election materials, an election official said on condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to reporters. PHOTO: REUTERS
Additional Director General (ADG) Haroon Shinwari on Monday said that the Election Management System (EMS) hitches have been successfully addressed as the country prepares for the ballots on February 8.
During a media briefing in Islamabad, Shinwari assured that the problems encountered during the experimental phase of EMS have been rectified, allowing individuals with expired ID cards to cast their votes.
He emphasised that those with expired IDs would not face hindrances in exercising their voting rights.
Shinwari said that a directive has been issued to all staff members, emphasising that individuals with expired ID cards should be permitted to vote.
To facilitate the election process, 3,000 laptops have been secured for EMS, and 3,600 operators have undergone training.
A dedicated control room has been established to monitor the elections, functioning independently of the internet through a private network. Shinwari highlighted the implementation of a state-of-the-art system with special provisions for monitoring.
Moreover, complaints from across the country can be filed via email and a universal phone number.
At the provincial level, control rooms have been set up, complemented by 32 regional monitoring control rooms overseeing the election process.
To address grievances, 144 district monitoring teams are actively involved. Shinwari announced the launch of a WhatsApp platform for registering complaints, marking a first in the election monitoring process.
Since December 26, notices have been served to 625 individuals, with 252 candidates receiving show-cause notices and 156 facing fines for violating the code of conduct.
Notably, 12,236 wall chalkings and hoardings have been removed, and candidates could face disqualification for serious code of conduct violations.
Read: ECP successfully conducts EMS mock exercise
Shinwari revealed that 221 complaints have been received, of which 198 have been resolved. Notices have been issued to Inspector Generals and chief secretaries regarding incidents in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
"As of February 8, the eyes of the entire nation will be on the ECP, so the elections are being closely monitored at the district, provincial, and central levels," he added.
He expressed satisfaction with the EMS performance during trials, asserting that results will be transmitted through the system.
All control rooms are operational 24/7, with the central room continuing uninterrupted until the election results are announced. EMS is designed to function both offline and online, he added.
ECP readies for polls with updated procedures
Meanwhile, the ECP has finalised all necessary preparations. According to sources, the chief election commissioner has opted to oversee operations from the control room on polling day instead of physically visiting the four provinces.
While the commission members are set to cover all four provinces, the ECP encountered challenges, including appeals from high courts related to polling stations, changes in election symbols, and nomination papers.
Unlike the previous election, the result management system will not be utilised this time. Instead, the EMS will be employed, wherein the returning officer in each provincial constituency will have three computers for result compilation.
The national constituency returning officer will be equipped with four computers, and Result Form 45 will be displayed outside each polling station.
According to reliable sources, presiding officers will transmit their Form 45 through EMS, which can operate without an internet connection.