Acting Chief Election Commissioner Tassaduq Hussain Jilani on Wednesday said all arrangements for the holding of smooth and transparent by-elections for 41 National and provincial assembly seats, scheduled to be held on Thursday, had been completed.
“The returning officers (ROs) have been directed to ensure free, fair and transparent polling across the country,” Jilani told reporters, adding that troops would be deployed inside and outside highly sensitive polling stations.
Meanwhile, a Control Room and a Complaint Centre have been set up at the ECP headquarters besides transportation of the required material to respective constituencies like ballot papers, stamps, ink and placards for the information of voters has been completed.
“We are all set for this second important event after the general elections as on August 22, elections will be held in 41 National and provincial assembly constituencies,” an official said.
He said besides arrangements at the headquarters for the polling day, the commission had also started issuing identification cards for reporters who wanted to cover the polling process.
“For the polling day, the commission shall be disseminating results to the media and other authorities concerned through its Control Room,” he said.
“The Control Room set up on August 22 shall continue operating until the results are completed.”
He said the Complaint Centre shall serve the purpose of recording and registering complaints against rigging or other violations of the Code of Conduct and for subsequent action.
Asked about a possibility of delay in results as noticed during the general elections, the official said, this time the ECP had directed the returning officers to send results to headquarters manually instead of sending computerised results. “They have been asked to ensure speedy dissemination. Therefore, initially the ROs will send manual results and later a computerised copy would be sent.”
He said the election commission secretary would be in charge of the Control Room while ECP officials will perform their duties in shifts until the filing of the result was completed.