Change of plans: No magnetised ink for local bodies’ polls

ISLAMABAD:

The election authorities have decided to change the specification of ink to be used for thumb impressions of voters during the upcoming local government elections.

ECP officials told The Express Tribune that a committee comprising officials of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and ECP would approve the new ink which could be manufactured quickly.

“It has been decided that magnetised ink will not be used in the local government polls. Rather common ink with improved specifications would be used. This would increase readability of thumb impressions” an ECP official said.

According to NADRA, if a thumb impression is not marked in a proper manner with magnetised ink it lowers the chances of readability and makes verification of voters more difficult. NADRA is verifying thumb impression of voters of various constituencies on the directives of election tribunals.

During verification of thumb impressions identity of thousands of voters could not be traced from the NADRA data due to “bad thumb impressions”.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2013.