Dissonance over delays: Ballot printing issue blown out of proportion, says ECP

Poll body official denies telling NA panel that holding polls in January would be impossible.

ISLAMABAD:

A day after representatives of political parties unanimously recommended a postponement of local government elections in Sindh and Punjab, the Election Commission of Pakistan says the issue regarding difficulties in the printing of ballot papers was blown out of proportion.

A senior official told The Express Tribune on Friday that the commission had not stated at all that it would be impossible to hold the LG polls but had simply voiced problems that were being faced. “What we said before the committee was different from what has come out in the media,” he added. There is no denial of the fact that printing millions of ballot papers is a daunting task, he explained, but “even if it is not completed on time, it might not be delayed for more than 10 days.”



On December 26, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs passed a unanimous resolution that LG polls in two provinces be further delayed. The ECP’s additional secretary Syed Sher Afgan briefed the committee about the commission’s preparations and the difficulties being faced. According to reports, Afgan was quoted as saying that the printing of 330 million ballot papers and their transportation to thousands of constituencies was not possible in such a short time.

The meeting resolved to approach the Supreme Court to buy some time and the ECP has allegedly endorsed the request. According to the polling schedules, polling in Sindh will take place on January 18 and in Punjab on January 30.

The official also explained that the process of printing ballot papers commences after the list of contesting candidates is finalised and symbols are allotted to them. The exercise will be completed on January 30. He added that the Printing Corporation of Pakistan and other state-owned printing facilities lacked the capacity to print such a significant number of ballot papers within the required period.



Responding to a report that objections against the delimitation of constituencies caused the delay in LG polls, the ECP official said that applications to the relevant authorities do not impede the ECP’s work unless there is a court decision. In the event of a court order to stay elections in any constituency, the official said the ECP would follow the order and hold elections in the remaining constituencies. Disputed constituencies do not add up to more than 5% of the total and “if we manage to hold elections in 90% or 95% of constituencies, that would be a big achievement,” he added.

He said that other preparations including the army’s assistance at sensitive polling stations have already been made.

Standardised Ink

The standing committee was informed the other day that the ECP will not be using magnetic ink for the LG polls but would instead use “standardised ink,” according to the official. This ink has greater readability as it dries within 10 seconds which would enable officials to read a clear thumb impression, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2013.