ECP announcement: April 15 last date for postal ballot application

For staff and police personnel posted at polling stations last date of submission is April 25.


Peer Muhammad April 01, 2013
The voters to whom postal ballots are issued will not be entitled to vote in person at the polling stations. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced April 15 as the last date for receipt of applications for postal ballot papers for general elections to the national assembly and the provincial assemblies.

According to ECP, this facility, under the law, has been extended only to the persons in government service, members of armed forces, holders of public offices, their wives and such of their children as are registered voters and ordinarily reside with them provided they are stationed at a place other than the place in which their home constituency is situated. Besides, persons detained in prison or held in other custody are also entitled to vote by postal ballot.



As for presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, polling officers and the police personnel posted at a polling station other than one at which they are entitled to cast their vote, the last date for applying for postal ballot is extended by ten days. The polling staff is expected to receive their final appointment details by April 25.

The ECP regulations state that the application for postal ballot should be submitted to the returning officer of the constituency in which the voter is enrolled, however, the forms can be obtained from any returning officer.



The voters to whom postal ballots are issued will not be entitled to vote in person at the polling stations. Also the poll body advised voters to get their applications endorsed by their departments to prevent any forged applications.

Additionally the persons entitled to vote by postal ballot are required to file their applications with the respective returning officers for the national assembly and provincial assembly constituencies separately.

Further measures to ensure transparency require the elector to sign the declaration in the application form in the presence of a gazetted officer or a commissioned officer who knows the voter personally or has ascertained the identification. The signature also needs to be attested by the officer.

After the declaration is signed and attested, the voter is to place the declaration form in a smaller envelope and send it to the returning officer concerned by post. The postal ballot paper will be rejected if not accompanied by a duly attested and certified declaration.

According to the ECP rules, if an elector is illiterate or is unable, through physical infirmity to write the name of the preferred candidate on a postal ballot paper and sign the declaration, the voter is entitled to have the vote recorded and the declaration signed by gazetted officer or a commissioned officer.

The officer is to write the name of candidate in the appropriate place on postal ballot paper in the presence of the elector and sign the declaration on behalf.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2013.

COMMENTS (2)

Xnain | 10 years ago | Reply

@Salma: Because they are serving outstation on directives of Govt of Pakistan and thus are not as mobile as ordinary citizen which is not bound by any rules of service.

Salma | 10 years ago | Reply so utterly discriminatiory all citizens should have the right to vote - why is this facility only for govt and army????
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