Punjab Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) Ijaz Anwar Chohan said on Tuesday that all preparations had been finalised for the general elections in trhe province.
Addressing a news conference, he said the printing of ballot papers had been completed and they had been delivered to all district returning officers in Punjab.
He said the returning officers would ensure on Wednesday the receipt of the election material, including the ballot papers, by the presiding officers, besides the polling stations’ readiness.
The provincial election commissioner said the security, communication and transport plans had been chalked out for the elections. Police and army personnel will perform duties to maintain law and order at the polling stations.
He emphasised the Election Commission’s commitment to fulfilling its constitutional obligations, highlighting ongoing efforts to strengthen the electoral process.
He also commended Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for his initiatives aimed at improving the electoral process and ensuring the success of the 2024 General Elections. Acknowledging the support of the provincial caretaker government and governmental apparatus, Chohan noted consistent coordination with district returning officers, commissioners and police officials since assuming the office.
He underscored the importance of regular communication, citing online meetings with key stakeholders, including the chief secretary and inspector general of police.
He said the commission had set up a coherent system for monitoring, adding that election campaigns and preparations were being completely monitored under it.
He said the complaints received through telephone, Whatsapp and email were immediately resolved.
Control rooms at the federal, provincial, divisional, and district levels have been operational since the start of the election process, facilitating efficient management and response, he added.
He said that for the upcoming elections, the Election Management System (EMS) had replaced the RMS or RTS, offering internet-independent functionality.
Chohan outlined the deployment of 42 district monitoring officers and 600 teams tasked with enforcing the electoral code of conduct, with swift action taken against violations.
With 144 national and 297 provincial assembly constituencies in Punjab, encompassing 740.2 million registered voters, Chohan detailed the extensive infrastructure comprising 50,900 polling stations, 149,390 booths, and 524,070 polling staff. He underscored the distribution of polling stations based on sensitivity levels, with CCTV surveillance planned for highly sensitive polling stations.
Responding to questions, the provincial election commissioner confirmed the formation of a committee to investigate an incident reported from the NA-127 constituency, underscoring the commission’s independence and commitment to ensuring a level playing field for all parties.
He reiterated the commission’s dedication to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and pledged to take strict action against any interference in ensuring peaceful general elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th 2024.
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